March of the Inevitable: Blood of the Phoenix
by SpartAl412
Summary: While on the hunt for a sorcerer of Tzeentch, a High Elf warrior is cast into Aethyr where he arrives in a world quite different from his own. His path will cross with that of a simple thief from that other world and together, they will begin an epic journey. (Editing still ongoing)
1. Minaith

**Author's Note: This story will have absolutely no affect on the non-cross over Warhammer stories I am still doing, especially the Knight of Khaine series and others. Think of this as a totally separate non canonish thing. Also, I am writing this entire thing with knowledge from the 1st Dragon Age Game, as such I may probably make some mistakes about stuff here and there because I have not read the books or played Dragon Age II, so feel free to point stuff out.**

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><p>Never in the life of Gottlieb Bauman had he felt such terror in his life, he ran through the brush of the forest with his azure robes tearing from the thorn and briar, he wheezed heavily as his body began to demand for respite. In all of his years he had never seen such a fearsome foe, he prayed to the Changer for aid and safety and thought he had been saved when he ran into a band of the horned ones. He had brandished his amulet with the symbol of Tzeentch and spoke in the Dark Tongue, he had then commanded the beastmen to slay his pursuer, they barely lived past twenty seconds.<p>

Looking back he caught a glimpse of his pursuer, clad in shining armour with a cloak of snow-white fur, his terror came anew as his eyes made contact with the cold ice blue almond-shaped eyes of his pursuer. His pursuer's skin was pale, his fur cloak white like snow, and most dreadfully he carried an axe that blazed with white fire. Roaring the name of the god of murder, the wraith-like warrior pursued Gottlieb and nothing seemed to stop him, not the beastmen, not the sorcery and magic at his disposal and not even the few daemons he could summon.

His path was illuminated by a pair of azure witch-light orbs which floated above the warlock, as he ran he knew it would only be a matter of time before his pursuer caught up with him, not even the Witch Hunters of that false god Sigmar had been so relentless. The pursuit began when his coven had been performing a ritual to ask the favor of Tzeentch, everything had been according to plan, drugged sacrifices, elixirs distilled from the blood of infants, a tribe of beastmen with a herdstone and the full moon of Morrslieb, and then out of nowhere this wraith-like creature comes out of nowhere and killed everything.

Reaching into his belt, Gottlieb stopped to pull out a scroll, scribed in blood and written in the tongue of the Norse, Gottlieb began to hastily cast the incantation upon the scroll. The scroll itself was meant to be used in the event that he might be caught and it offered a way to escape, unfortunately he had absolutely no idea where it would lead and if he went through the portal which would open he would have to pay a hefty personal price from the Great Changer. Faced with the situation of either certain death or the possibility of it, Gottlieb continued his spell.

Gottlieb felt a great shift in the Winds, he saw the very air before him shimmered like the heat of summer, yet he felt the cold of night grow even colder. Looking back with grin, he was about to laugh at the warrior for being unable to catch him, he didn't have time to register the silvery flash of light which turned out to be a thrown knife which caught him in the apple of his throat.

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><p>Grinning with feral satisfaction, Khorieus stepped over the body of the human sorcerer, kneeling over the human he placed his right hand upon the hilt of his hunting knife and gave it sharp twist before wrenching it out, the human was still alive but not for long as the man's blood gushed out of the fatal wound, the elf took satisfaction in seeing the light begin to go from the human's eyes before looking to the opening gate which glowed with azure light.<p>

Readying himself into a defensive stance and preparing for something horrible to lash out, Khorieus heard laughter echo into his mind, his rings glowed in anticipation and in a swift burst of movement, hundreds of chain links shot out as swift as a vipers from the portal wrapping around both he and the dying human. Struggling with the bindings, Khorieus twisted and jerked, his flaming axe destroyed several links but more emerged latching on to him, with a loud roar of defiance that echoed across the forest, both the elf and the dying sorcerer were pulled into the opening maw like a ship being devoured by a kraken.

Seeing a nightmarish kaleidoscope of images, Khorieus could hear the dread whispers of countless daemons with countless promises of many unpleasant fates, clenching his axe tightly, and the elf gritted his teeth and closed his eyes trying to block out the sounds and sights until finally silence came. Opening his eyes and hoping that he was finally somewhere safe, he found himself in what seemed to be a library with impossibly high stacks of books with, staircases that twisted and turned in maddening patterns and multi-limbed creatures with massive mouths leaping and capering about. His gaze quickly caught the sight of a massive blue bird-like creature in ornate sky blue and gold robes, the creature he recognized as a greater daemon of Tzeentch.

The Lord of Change sat cross-legged with its wings furled, upon its lap were a staff and a book and the creature spoke to the human sorcerer of whom was lying upon the blue marble floor which shifted in strange colors and patterns that were painful to look upon. Placing a talon from its left hand above the human's chest, Khorieus impossibly heard the human scream and the sorcerer's body shriveled into a dried husk, the avian daemon then looked to the elf with a disinterested look

'You are not supposed to be here' said the daemon in a rather uninterested tone

With a flick of its wrist Khorieus was grabbed by more chains, he shouted in fury as the chains dragged him into another portal which opened behind the elf, the daemon then demanded for silence. Soon Khorieus found himself once more in the nightmarish Realms of Chaos…

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><p><strong>ACT I: BLUT UND FEUR<strong>

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><p>Kneeling into the muddy cobbled stoned earth, Kallian Tabris deftly worked her lock picks into the front door of a merchant's home. Hearing the satisfying click, she grinned and gently pulled her tools out of the key hole and placing them into a soft leather case. Securing her tools, she placed them into one of her pockets and her right hand went for the door, gently pushing the door forwards she peaked through the small opening to get a better look inside.<p>

The room ahead was dark and she could hear the sound of a drunken human guardsman who snored a bit too loudly as he sat upon a wooden stool by the door with his head lolling back and resting upon the plastered wall. Shouldn't be too hard she thought to herself, gently pushing the door open she placed her right foot first upon the wooden floor board and then followed with her left. Her leather boots were perfect for this sort of thing and with practiced skill she crept forwards in search for any valuables.

Two weeks prior, a friend of hers named Arrisa had once been a servant in this very home, her friend had been forced to put up with the sexual advances of the merchant and his bodyguards as well as the jealous temperaments of the merchant's wife. Arrisa had stoically put up with humans for it was her only source of income to help feed her younger siblings, unfortunately that had all changed when she asked to borrow money when her landlord raised the price of their rent. She had received a brutal thrashing before being thrown out and told she was fired, so now Kallian was here, looking for a bit of pay back for her friend.

Kallian was told much about the house's interior from her friend and now she could confirm was divided into two floors; the first floor was a single wide open space with many pieces of furniture, a hearth and decorations for the entertaining of guests to her right. There was also a dining area to her left, she could see a door which supposedly led to kitchen on the wall north of the dining area, and not far from it was another door which led to a small room where guests could privately use the chamber pot.

After the door to the privy room, there was the stair case leading to the second floor, her friend had told her the layout of the second floor and she knew where the most valuable of goods would be. Crouched low and keeping her head down, she quietly moved to the stair case, her steps barely making any sound with only the lightest of creaking. The guard continued to snore and then slur something in his sleep, stopping in her tracks, the thief though oh why not and turned her attention to the guard.

Making her way to the man, it would have been easy for her to slit the human's throat, but she was not out for blood tonight, her delicate hands were wrapped in blackened leather while leaving her fingers exposed. Her right hand held the thin rope cord which attached the man's coin pouch to his belt, with her left hand she brought forth a simple iron dagger which she used to gently cut the cord. As soon as the last threads were parted the pouch fell, the container was swiftly caught by the thief's right hand, grinning underneath the cloth which covered her face from the nose to lower jaw she pocketed the man's pouch.

Moving back towards the stairs she placed one foot upon the steps and then another and began to ascend. The second floor had a hall way wide enough for three men to stand side to side, there were now four doors in the hall, three to her right, the one closest to the stairs was the guards room from which she could hear the snoring of another guard, adjacent to it was a small library and at the end was the study room. To her left was a single door leading to the bedroom of the merchant, here she thought would be where the fun truly began.

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><p>Roaring in the name of the Andraste, Ser Finnick, a Templar of the Chantry brought his long sword down upon the head of mercenary. Blood spattered his gauntlet and armor as the blade cut through the top of the mercenary's head, cleaving the cheap leather cap and cutting into bottom of the man's nose. Pulling his sword back and kicking the dead man away, the body stumbled backwards. Looking to his sides he watched as his three comrades lay into the band of mercenaries with commendable skill.<p>

The Templars formed a line formation with each member being able to watch each other's flank. For weeks they had been hunting a Maleficar from Aeonar to Highever and to the slums of Denerim to which they were currently located at. Through the Maleficar's phylactery they tracked him into this dilapidated structure which must have once been the home of several families. The mercenaries and thugs who had waylaid them were obviously cheap and poorly trained miscreants who were no match for the training and faith of the Chantry's Templars.

Roaring again in the name of Andraste, he slammed his shield into another mercenary's face and his sword plunged into the neck of another, they knew they had the Maleficar trapped. The four of them were some of the best warriors among the local chapters, and even if they did fail they had over two dozen men waiting outside to put the house to the torch, he was confident though that this time the Maleficar would not escape the Maker's justice.

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><p>Marius was concerned, the Blood Mage continued to chant his spell and seeking to summon demons from the Fade to aid him, he had done everything correctly and yet nothing had answered him. He did not wish to go back to Aeonar, and he had little desire to die this night, surrounding him were the bodies of beggars, whores and the poor, both humans and elves whose flesh had been split open with their blood pooling upon the stone floor.<p>

The blood flowed upwards into the air, each forming tendrils which connected to a massive crimson sphere which floated and pulsed with azure light, he had originally intended to summon multiple demons to posses the bodies, or to directly summon them into a corporeal form to be used against the Templars, but it had all gone awry. Suddenly he felt a presence, within the orb of blood he thought he caught a glimpse of a bird-like creature, it carried a staff and scroll in two taloned hands.

He heard the loud thud of a boot against the door behind him and he looked back to hear another thud. The Templars are here! He thought and began to furiously work his spell, he mentally cursed himself for being cornered and he cursed the incompetence of the mercenaries he hired as well as the local street thugs he had bound to his will. Words of power escaped his lips and he furiously began to pour more power into his spell, the azure light began to grow even brighter from within the sphere of blood which began to expand. His eyes were fixed upon the sphere in ways he could not explain, he heard the crash of the door behind him and the demands of the Templars as they announced his punishment and yet he could not take his eyes away from the sphere.

It grew and expanded wider and wider and he feared that he might have called something far too dangerous and powerful, something even he could not control, he heard the whispers of countless voices in his head and he wanted to cover his ears and yet he could not, all he could do was watch in horror, he felt a sharp stab of pain through his chest a sword punched through his rib cage and yet he stood still and paralyzed, watching as the sphere expanded. As his vision blurred and darkness began to engulf him he heard a dark laughter which sent waves of terror unlike anything he had encountered in his life, he knew that he was now truly damned.

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><p>Finnick stepped back from the growing sphere of blood and azure light which pulsed more brightly to the point that it began to blind him<p>

'Dispel that thing!' he commanded and the Templars began focusing their energy upon the sphere which proved too strong. With a sudden flash of light the sphere burst showering everything in the room with blood, launching the Templars into the walls.

The impact knocked the breath out of Finnick as his armored body crashed into the wall behind him. He then felt a brief sense of vertigo as his body fell to the wooden floor and pain shot into the front of his body. Groaning in pain he managed to get up, he could hear the voices of his comrades as they felt the same as he did, he heard the sounds of coughing and wheezing at the end of the room and with his vision still blinded by the azure light.

Slowly standing he licked his tongue across his teeth and he felt that he may have chipped a tooth. Looking to where the blue sphere had once been, he caught sight of a nightmarish thing completely covered in gore. The creature stood up upon shaky limbs and he could see it wielded a massive axe of a design he had never seen. A daemon, or some sort of abomination he quickly thought, his sword was still clasped in his right gauntlet.

Looking to his comrades who had recovered, he shouted to them slay the demon. As one the Templars roared the name of Andraste they charged towards the demonic creature. With impossible swiftness the demon looked up to the Templars and charged them, he saw a pair of cold blue eyes which seemed to pierce his very soul. The demon shouted something in a foul arcane tongue and its axe blazed with white fire, the demon proved to be unnaturally fast and strong as its axe blade struck the armor of Brother Marik, his breastplate screeched as the axe blade sliced through it and into the man's flesh.

Marik shrieked in agony as unholy fire caused his flesh and armor to melt around the axe, the demon then swiftly ripped the axe out and struck Brother Desmond with the flat of its axe impacting against the side of his helmet. The Templar staggered back and Finnick was close enough to strike, with a swift thrust of his sword he pushed his blade into the demon's chest and his sword clanged off as if he attempted to stab an anvil. Ghostly white sigils flashed across the demon's chest and it glared its baleful blue eyes at him.

Swiftly retracting his sword and smashing his shield into the demon, the demon staggered back and was struck in its left arm by Brother Russel, the senior Templar's blessed sword only caused the demon to grunt in pain in a voice which sounded almost human before it swung its axe high and decapitating the man.

'NOO!' shouted Finnick as the head of Brother Russel toppled over and the body falling to its knees while showering them with steaming gore, the demon swiftly charged towards Finnick with its axe raised high and he rose his shield and the fiery blade crashed into his shield, breaking the bones upon his forearms, it felt as if he had been struck by a maul. The demon thrust its right knee into Finnick's chest and he was knocked back slightly winded, Brother Desmond then struck the demon from behind the head with a slash of his sword, the blade clanged off its head with sharp ring of metal and bright sigils emerged from around its head and the demon grunted in pain.

'Maker's Breath! What does it take to kill this thing!?' he shouted with frustration, the demon staggered forward from Desmond's attack it swiftly recovered and swung its axe into the man's left shoulder, severing the limb from it in a screech of metal and causing him to cry out in agony. Brother Marik assailed the demon with a swift series of thrusts and feints, and each time the demon parried or launched a counter, eventually its axe cleaved once more into the man's chest and this time he would not rise again.

Charging at the demon with Andraste's name upon his lips, Finnick rushed the monster with his shield raised; the demon swerved around him with blinding speed, its axe swung directly into Finnick's lower back. Hot searing agony blazed into his back as the blade struck, it cleaved through his armor and began to cause the metal, flesh and bone within to char.

Falling face first into the bloody, corpse strewn floor, he did not see the demon finish off Brother Desmond. Rolling to his back he thrust his blade forwards in what should have been a lethal strike into the demon's belly, it staggered back a little and grunted before bringing its fiery axe down into the chest of Finnick and killing the man instantly.

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><p>Breathing heavily, Khorieus took a deep breath while trying to take stock of the situation; he was surrounded by the heavy stench of blood and offal in the air. It was a dark room which looked to be of a crude human design, there were bodies and blood everywhere cursing at his predicament he moved towards an open doorway with the respective door looking as if it had been kicked down.<p>

He wobbled forwards, still feeling dazed and somewhat confused from both the nightmarish kaleidoscope of the Realms of Chaos and the battle he had just fought. Leading into a dark hallway, he saw the bloody corpse of a human lying face down upon the floor; it looked as if the man had been run through from behind. Stepping over the body, he made his way down a stairway and into a wide spacious room filled with more corpses.

The bodies were those of humans, clad in a mix of dirty leather and rusted chain mail of a design he had never seen. The humans who had attacked him earlier seemed to have spoken in the tongue of Albion and yet most unusually they were clad in plate armour, how was that possible? He thought. He had been to Albion in the past and had found its inhabitants to barbarians who went into battle, barely clad like the savages of Norsca. Feeling a faint draft of wind and the fetid familiar stench of human habitation he knew he should get outside before more showed up. Stepping over the bodies, he went to the front door of the building and he stepped out into the cold night air.

All around him, Khorieus could see many dingy structures typical of the low quality used by humans and yet the design seemed different to him, he looked about to get his bearing and with sudden alarm he realized something. Looking up to the cloudy night sky, his eyes widened _'Mirai' _he muttered, where were the Winds? He could not see nor could he feel the Winds of Magic.

He heard the ringing of a bell and the guttural voices of men followed by the barking of dogs, he did not have time to ponder upon where he was and all thoughts turned to escape, looking around him he darted for an empty alleyway and into the darkness of the human city.

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><p>Grinning with satisfaction, Kallian closed the door into the merchant's house and began to lock it. A good haul she thought as she patted the burlap bag over her right shoulder, it was sealed with a simple yet strong cord of rope and it contained several coins, gems and other valuables. Most importantly was the leather case containing several papers she had taken from the merchant's home, the kind rival merchants would pay well to get their hands on, the kind the watch could arrest a man for and others of the kind which would certainly cause more than a bit of trouble between the merchant and his wife.<p>

Keeping to the shadows she quietly made her way back to the Alienage, wary of any guards, thugs or rival thieves. She heard the distant sound of thunder from above and thought that it would rain, more reason to get back she thought. A few minutes after she had left the merchant's house the freezing rain began to pour and Kallian cursed her luck, shaking her head she continued her way.

On the way back towards the Alienage she heard the loud barking of mabari hounds and the shouts of alarm from the City Watch, she froze in place and wondered if they after her, had she been noticed? Picking up her pace, she began to move more quickly towards her home. Carefully navigating the alleys and streets and making good progress, her feet squelched upon the muddy ground and she began to shiver from the cold rain, not far now she thought.

Quickly moving out of one alley, she moved into another, she began thinking about having a nice bowl of hot stew before retiring for the night, as she made her way she suddenly stopped and felt her palms begin to itch. Looking around her she saw a sudden movement in the shadows, with her right hand still holding her sack; her left hand went for an iron dagger. The blade swiftly left its scabbard and she watched as a tall figure, likely a male human come into view, she instinctively knew the human was not alone and this was likely the part where he would ask her to give up whatever loot she had, or die.

The man was covered with dark garments, perfect for sneaking about; she could see his blue eyes appraising her with a calculating grin.

'I am sure you know how this works girlie' said the raspy voice of the man shouting over the downpour.

'Oh no' replied Kallian icily 'I got this stuff on my own, sod off and no one has to die here!'

The man was certainly taken quite aback from her response; she could tell that he knew that she knew the man had some friends around. The man then sneered and continued

'So the knife ear has got a death wish eh!?' the man shouted 'Fine by me, we tried to do this all peaceful like!'

As if on cue five men emerged from the shadows, each carried short blades, some also wielded cudgels or hatchets. Having already been prepared for this, Kallian sprinted towards the human who spoke to her; the man was surprised by her agility and quickly went into a defensive stance. Lunging forward with her dagger, the man tried to dodge to her right, she quickly retracted her blade in a feint and swung her sack into the man's path and struck him directly upon the side of his head. The impact was enough to daze the man before she reversed the grip on her dagger and plunged it into the side of the man's neck.

'You bitch!' shouted the voice of another man from behind her. Quickly pulling the blade out from the man's neck which gushed with blood, Kallian left behind her sack as she turned around to face the other thugs. Leaning back with her head barely dodging the swipe of a hatchet, she had swiftly raised her right leg up into the other man's groin and her foot struck against his manhood. The man shrieked in pain and clutched his tender bits but Kallian did not have time to finish him off as another thug was already upon her.

Another thug wielding a pair of heavy short blades thrust both of his weapons forwards, she ducked underneath the attack and with her right hand she grabbed a handful of mud and thrust it into the man's face. The third man was blinded as mud got into his eyes and he shouted profanities at Kallian, she leapt back, almost slipping on the muddy ground as another man attempted to stab her with a knife and her right hand went for her second dagger. Now armed with two daggers, she swiftly had adopted a defensive fighting stance with her back to her sack of valuables. Three of the five men were closing in on her, they likely had just realized that she was a real scrapper, and were weighing their options.

Suddenly hearing a deep voice shout from the alley to their side, one of the men looked to his right and was tackled by a massive armored warrior with a dark fur cloak. The man who was struck was knocked off his feet and he fell upon a set of crude wooden barricades, the other two men swiftly attacked the warrior and in a sudden movement one of the men toppled to the earth, his head flew upwards with a bloody stream trailing behind it. She was amazed by the warrior's speed; she saw that he carried a massive axe which she doubted even she could carry and yet the warrior wielded it as easily as she could wield a sword.

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><p>Swiftly delivering jab to the throat of the other man who was attacking him, Khorieus then brought his axe down in a single-handed over head chop which split the head of the one he had punched in twain. After killing the human he stopped to get his bearings, ahead of him was the man he had shoved forward, the human looked at him fearfully, behind him was a crude wooden barricade which blocked his path, the Chracian then looked to his sides and saw to his right two more men, one was clutching his genitals with one hand and he held a blade in the other, the other man was rubbing something out of his eyes.<p>

Suddenly hearing a groan from the human by the barricade as he tried to get up, Khorieus thrust the bottom of his axe handle into the man's chest; he felt the satisfying crack of bones before leaving the man alone to slump down. Khorieus then looked to his left to see a slender black cloaked figure with a similarly black kerchief covering its mouth and wielding a pair of crude looking blades in a defensive stance. The cloaked one was slowly backing away, he saw emerald-green eyes looking to him warily, before he could say or do anything, Khorieus heard the loud barking of two hounds behind him.

Swiftly turning back, he watched as a massive hound leapt towards him, he raised his axe up in time for its jaws to clamp down upon the shaft, its paws clawed against his armor and he looked into the beast's eyes which balefully glared at him. As the hound's jaws held the axe in a vice-like grip, Khorieus saw the other one coming towards him. Swiftly shifting the weight to his left and letting go, the beast crashed down into the earth and he delivered a swift knee kick to the side of its head. The hound yelped in pain and the Chracian swiftly ripped his knife from its sheath and he stabbed it in the back of its head with all of his strength, the hound whimpered pitifully before death claimed it.

The other hound angrily bit into the left boot of Khorieus, its jaws held the enchanted Ithilmar plates which glowed with protective runes. He forced his hunting knife out of the one he had killed and plunged the blade into the other hound's skull, the beast died instantly and he ripped the blade out. Hearing the shouts of the men who were chasing him, Khorieus turned to his right but he saw the two men who seemed incapacitated were now dead with crossbow bolts piercing their bodies.

Standing over the two bodies were four more men in chain armour, two held torches and swords while the other two held loaded crossbows which were aimed at him.

'Lord of-' he hissed, but the sudden impact of two crossbow bolts interrupted him as both struck against his chest, the enchanted armour held and Khorieus was staggered back from the blow, he looked to the humans who attacked him with an all-consuming anger, he roared like the lions of his home and charged in the direction of the shooters.

The swordsmen swore and charged at Khorieus who effortlessly cut down one man with a sweep to his right and slaying the other with a return swipe, the murder-lust descended upon him and he staggered back from the impact of another crossbow bolt which struck against his armoured right thigh and another hitting his left pauldron, the _Ithilmar_ plates held on both occasions and he charged forwards.

With his axe raised high he brought his ancestral weapon down upon one of the crossbowmen and the blade buried itself over the man's left shoulder and cutting into his heart. The other crossbowman struck the High Elf with the stock of his crossbow, the weapon impacted again side of his head, striking the helmet which glowed once more and giving the elf a minor dizzying feeling. With an aggressive sweep, Khorieus severed the man's head from his neck and blood sprayed out mixing with the freezing rain.

Hearing the rapid steps of the slender cloaked figure running towards him, he looked to his left and noted it was carrying a sack in its right hand and a short blade in its left, it looked to him but he could see it was trying to avoid him and not desiring a fight, behind the cloaked one were more hounds and armed men. He allowed the cloaked one to go past him without harm and he saw several men emerging from the alleyway from which he entered.

Swiftly counting at least a dozen men now, Khorieus decided to withdraw and follow the cloaked one, suddenly he heard an angry curse from a surprisingly feminine voice. Khorieus looked to back to the direction of where he had killed the four men now and he saw several armoured men coming in that direction. The cloaked one halted and began letting loose a stream of curses, she dropped her sack and pulled out another blade, grimly Khorieus decided that he should deal with the hounds first.

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><p>Kallian swore once more as she found herself surrounded on all sides by the City Watch, she had counted at least a dozen men and two mabari behind her, and now eight in front of her. She loudly cursed again at her luck, looking back she was a bit relieved the massive warrior did not seem to mind her, she had caught a glimpse of his features and he seemed very strange to her. The warrior was taller than any human she had known and he was broad too, his face though seemed surprisingly elven but he couldn't possibly be an elf she thought, for her people could not possibly grow so large.<p>

With sudden burst of movement the warrior charged towards the mabari hounds, one of the creatures leapt towards the warrior who side-stepped at the last moment and brought his axe down upon its spine, the second hound had missed the warrior as well, it skidded forwards for moment upon the muddy earth it turned around to face the warrior, in time for his axe to crash into its skull and cutting the beast's head in two.

Without missing a beat the warrior then charged towards the watchmen with axe raised high and roaring the name of some unknown deity. Seeing the other band watchmen swiftly closing in she ran after the warrior while picking up her sack, she hoped that she could get him between her and the watchmen. As she ran she could see the bloody ruin the warrior was wreaking, his axe slashed left and right, each strike rending limbs and flesh with blood mixing with the rain and mud. She saw as a watchman raised his shield against the warrior and the axe cut through it as if it were kindling and severing the watchman's arm from below the elbow.

She ducked underneath the return swing of one cleaving strike which beheaded a man, she thrust her dagger forward into the throat of the watchman behind the headless one and retracted it in time to parry the blade of another. Kicking another man in the groin and weaving past him, she dodged the overhead chop of a watchman's axe and slammed her bag into another watchman's head. The man staggered from the attack and she drove her dagger up his lower jaw, tossing the bag behind her and pulling out her other dagger again she swiftly raised her left dagger to block a sword and used her right to stab her attacker in the gut, the man briefly grunted in pain with blood coming out of his mouth before an axe severed his head from his neck.

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><p>Roaring loudly with adrenaline coursing through his veins, Khorieus decapitated another man and he severed the arm of another, these humans were poor fighters, they reminded him of the Men-at-Arms used by the Bretonnians. Spinning his body to his right with his axe following, he struck a man in the left side of his chest with his axe digging into where the human's heart should be.<p>

As the human fell, the area around him was clear and he could see the larger group of humans ahead now cautiously approaching him. He noted the cloaked woman was breathing heavily beside him with bloody blades out and facing the humans. Looking back to the humans he could see the fear in their eyes and the desire to run clearly upon them.

'_FIGHT ME_!' he shouted in Reikspiel, before repeating again but switching to Breton.

This seemed to generate a response from the humans who looked to each other and began muttering to one another, he shouted again in Breton, trying to provoke them. As one the humans launched another assault, this time in a much larger group and Khorieus gave a feral grin in amusement, three men armed with crossbows opened fired, one of the bolts struck the Charcian over his heart, his armour held once more as the bolt shattered, but the woman had not been as lucky as a bolt caught her in the gut and another to her right thigh. Hardly caring for the woman's condition, he roared the name of Khaine and charged towards them with his axe trailing behind him. He shouted the command word of his axe and as he spun, the blade ignited in white fire which caused the droplets of rain to evaporate around it.

The closest human was caught by surprise from the fiery axe which cleaved through the man's belly and spilling seared entrails into the mud and it struck the man to his side as well and he fell to his knees. Khorieus accepted the strike of a sword which had been thrust to his midsection, the point of the iron blade struck against enchanted _Ithilmar_ plates and shattered from the impact, the Chracian returned with a bloody sweep of his axe which killed more men.

He laughed and shouted in savage fury as the slaughter began; he counted the numbers to which they were diminishing and soon their morale was broken and they fled, but not before Khorieus pursued and killed at least three more men. Breathing heavily with his breath misting in the cold, he could hear the groans of pain from the men who were not dead yet. Had they been beastmen, greenskins,_Druchii_ or Chaos worshippers he would have swiftly ended what little lives they had left, but as they were just humans he stayed his hand and further surveyed the area.

Satisfied that the area was clear he looked back at the direction of the cloaked woman he decided to see if he could help her for he needed information. Finding two bloody crossbow bolts which had been pulled out and left in the mud, he could see that she tried to crawl away with, her right hand held the top of a heavy sack and with her left she used to drag herself away. The cloaked woman had only succeeded in crawling away for such a short distance that she was barely five steps away from where she had been shot.

Walking towards the woman with her face still facing down with blood mixing with the muddy earth, he whispered for his axe to calm down before stowing it away upon his back. Standing over the woman, he placed his boot underneath her chest and he rolled her upon her back, the woman grunted and he looked down to see emerald-green eyes which were unfocused as if in a daze. Kneeling down he could see the pale skin of her forehead, pulling down the cloth covering the woman's mouth and was surprised to find her features as of being rather elven.

The maiden was small, a child perhaps? And her garments suggested that perhaps she was a thief. He had many questions to ask her but he had no idea what language to use, the humans did not understand Reikspiel and Breton seemed familiar to them but it also had given them the courage to attack. He thought about using the language of Albion but his knowledge of it was rather limited. Reaching for his amulet, he gently removed the piece of jewelry and placed it around her neck; he then held the amulet up to his lips and began whispering a prayer to Isha.

* * *

><p>Feeling a profound sense of warmth like a summer sun without its harshness, Kallian slowly opened her eyes to see the face of the warrior. She could see his cold ice blue eyes staring directly into her own as he whispered in an arcane tongue towards a beautiful necklace which had been placed around her neck which glowed with a comforting light. She stared at the warrior, freezing up like a cat before a galloping horse, she saw what the warrior did to those watchmen and since he was still alive it obviously meant that he had either killed them all or driven them off.<p>

As soon as the warrior stopped whispering he gently removed the amulet, she did not want to do anything to start an unnecessary fight now. Nervously, she said 'uh… hey', the warrior stopped and tilted his head, he had shouted at the watchmen in foreign languages and for all she knew he did not understand the common tongue, she did hear what she thought was Orlesian though.

'I greet you' replied the warrior haltingly and with a thick accent. Rising up, the warrior took a step back and he handed her the burlap sack, taking the sack she nodded with relief.

'Well thanks I guess' she said, the warrior stared at her and she thought he may have been studying her words.

'Where here? Albion?' he asked as he clearly struggled with the words

'Albion? Don't know where that is, this is Denerim' she replied and she was starting to grow worried, she knew the Watch would return with help.

'De-ne-rim?' he asked again clearly confused 'no Albion?' Kallian had no idea what or where Albion was but she knew now was hardly the time for it; she looked around worriedly and gestured for the warrior to follow her. 'More men?' he asked, Kallian nodded towards the warrior, he acquiesced and began to follow her to the Alienage.

* * *

><p>Walking to the front door which pounded loudly, Cyrion Tabris knew exactly who it would be outside at such an hour. Yawning loudly he opened the door to see his daughter; relief mixed frustration warred within him as he knew she had been out again causing trouble. His eyes quickly widened in alarm as he swiftly noted the massive blue-eyed warrior in silverite armor behind her. Looking back to his daughter with a questioning look she then simply said 'he is a friend, I will explain inside'. Stepping back and allowing his daughter and the massive warrior in, he noted that she carried a heavy sack which jingled with the sound of coins and other objects he was briefly and yet sadly reminded of his late wife Adaia.<p>

The warrior was much taller and broader than both he and Kallian by more than a few feet. The warrior gave a respectful bow and was ushered to a table with two chairs by his daughter. The warrior curtly gave thanks in a strangely accented voice before setting a massive axe, a white wood bow and a quiver upon the top of the table, he noted every piece of the warrior's equipment was of an elegant design he had never seen; the warrior then moved towards the hearth and began removing his gauntlets. His daughter as well had already removed her gloves and pulled down her hood to reveal her long raven black hair. The two then crouched near the hearth with hands extended near the flames.

He could hear the rain from the outside; the two must have been freezing. Leaving the two by the fire, Cyrion went towards the shelf by the keg which they kept near their door. Picking up a pair of clay cups and a bottle of cheap wine, he poured the red liquid into the cups and went for the two. Giving first his daughter a cup to which she thanked him and the then the warrior who also gave thanks in his deep accented voice.

He wondered if the warrior was some sort of foreigner, his face had a certain elven quality to it, but he had never seen an elf as large as the warrior. His daughter quickly downed the contents, the warrior seemed to cringe at the taste, and he guessed that perhaps the warrior was not expecting the wine to taste more like vinegar. The warrior swiftly drank the wine in a single gulp and coughed before setting it upon the table and going back to the hearth. Looking to his daughter again who rose up, he gestured for her to follow him to the back of their house where they kept their beds.

'I am sure you have a lot of questions father' said Kallian 'but I am all right, the stranger there helped me escape from the Watch'.

Wearily nodding, Cyrion was glad that she had returned safely, despite his open disapproval of her thievery, so much like her mother he thought with nostalgia once more.

'I trust you were not harmed?' he asked

'Only a few bumps and bruises nothing serious' was her reply.

He knew when his daughter was not entirely telling the truth. There were times in the past that she had come home severely injured and in dire need of medicine, he was certain this had been one of those times. Kallian looked towards the warrior and she continued with a bit of worry in her voice 'he healed me with magic, I don't know if he is a mage.'

Eyes widening with alarm, what if this stranger might be an apostate being hunted by the Templars? Looking to the warrior then back to his daughter he said with a whisper of alarm 'we need to know if he is a mage or not, if he is then he has to leave'. His daughter nodded and agreed with him, she then turned around and went to the warrior who still crouched near the hearth. He could hear his daughter's voice as they exchanged introductions.

* * *

><p>'Tabris, Kallian Tabris' she introduced herself cautiously to the warrior.<p>

The warrior then rose up and gave her a formal looking bow, he spoke with much gravitas in a melodious song-like tongue

_'Khorieus Alatanrieth ath amatharier lo Chrace, lo Ulthuan'. _Blinking at the warrior, she had no idea what he said, sighing the warrior then pointed to himself 'Khorieus, of Chrace, of Ulthuan' he said haltingly, it looked as he wished to say more but could not find the words in their language for it.

'You're not a mage are you?' she asked. The warrior looked at her not quite understanding her question

'You know, a mage?' she said, she tried randomly spouting out gibberish and placing her right fist upon her left palm and imitating as if she were shooting something out. The warrior shook his head and gave a simple "no" and pointed to his weapons. Looking to her father, she nodded and he nodded back with understanding, with only a mild bit of relief in his expression. Feeling weary and tired from the night's events and she resolved to figure things out in the morning.

The night went without incident, she explained to her father the situation of her friend Arrisa and why she went out, she explained to him how she ran into Khorieus how he had helped her. Her father at the least was glad that she returned safely, she always hated making him worry like that but often she had to go out and steal things because she had to, to help them get by, she knew that deep down though she also enjoyed it for the thrills. As they all retired for the night, their guest had simply seated himself beside the wall by the hearth. Kallian changed into some sleeping clothes while she placed her sodden clothes alongside the warrior's fur cloak within the bathing tub by the corner while she and her father went to their bunk beds.

The following morning when the sun had just begun to rise, a series of loud knockings came from their front door; her father had still been asleep when she rose. Walking barefooted towards the front door, she saw Khorieus was already giving an intense look at the door and his left hand tightly gripped around the haft of his axe which along with the bow and quiver was propped by the hearth quite close to him.

Looking to the warrior she waved her right hand downwards in his direction, gesturing him to stand down, the warrior nodded and she opened the door. Appearing more haggard than usual, her friend Arrisa was a gaunt tan skinned, auburn haired woman about Kallian's age whose hair was tied into a pony tail; her eyes were rimmed with deep eye bags, likely she had been worried if Kallian herself had been alive and well from the previous night.

'Oh thank the Maker you are all right' said Arrisa with a whisper of relief

'You did ask for the best' chuckled Kallian 'No need to worry though I got everything, just wait a moment'.

Raising a her left hand to her friend in a gesture to wait, Kallian left the doorway and went for the sack to which rested by the door, she gently picked it up with both hands and went back to the front door. She handed the sack to her friend which contained everything, including the incriminating papers, Arrisa's eyes widened with surprise and she began thanking Kallian profusely.

'I promise to send you your share of it' Arrisa said with a mix of relief and excitement before turning around and hastily making her way home. Yawning with sleepiness, Kallian felt now would be a good time to catch up on some sleep.

In the morning that followed, Kallian had decided to lay low in the Alienage after the heist and the fight with the watchmen. According to one of her neighbors who passed by to deliver her share from heist, news was going around amongst the Watch of an Orlesian Chevalier in Silverite armor who wielded a magic battle-axe and was responsible for the deaths of the watchmen from the previous night. Reluctantly her father left to discuss with the _Hahren _or Elder on what to do about their guest.

'You have magic?' asked the warrior, Kallian could see he was clearly frustrated by his difficulty to communicate. While he still wore the breastplate of his armor, Kallian was surprised when he removed his helmet to see that his silvery white hair was so long that it reached down to his waist. The warrior's hair was decorated with plaits held in place by metallic cords; she also noted with a gleam in her eye the many pieces of jewelry which seemed to decorate his hair. Also she had noticed he really must have been an elf for his ears were of the right shape.

'I don't, the Chantry forbids that sort of thing' replied Kallian. The warrior looked at her curiously; likely he was trying to make sense of her words.

'No magic?' he said again slowly 'You… You _elfe, ja? _Kallian noted the last two words were of different sounding dialect.

'You are asking if I am an elf? She asked, and the warrior nodded. 'Of course I am!' She exclaimed, turning her right cheek she pushed back a bit of her hair and showed him her ears. This did not seem to convince him, he sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose with his right index finger and thumb.

'Where I find Magic?' he asked again. Kallian herself had no idea, she wondered why he needed to find a mage, she supposed he could go to the Wonders of Thedas in the Market District, but right now it would be best if he too laid low for a while, especially if the guards were looking for him. She heard how there is supposed to a tower full of Mages far to the west, but she could not be sure for she had never been outside of Denerim.

Hearing a click from the door, she turned her head to see it open, through it came her father and the _Hahren_ Valendrian. Getting up from her chair, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave a slight bow to the _Hahren_, reciprocating the gesture the old elf gave her a warm smile and he nodded towards the large warrior. With formalities ended the Elder was the first to speak

'You father has told me about what happened' said the Elder with a mix of authority and paternal familiarity as if he were a close relative 'While I do not approve of it, I am glad that you are well'.

Kallian nodded to the Elder a bit relieved, the _Hahren _then began taking a good look at the strange and massive warrior who towered over them, she could see the stranger's icy eyes gazing upon them, and it seemed predatory and frightening. Breaking the silence the Elder spoke to the warrior '_Bonjour…_'

* * *

><p>'Hello to you friend, I am Elder Valendrian of the Alienage of Denerim' said the old elf in a thickly accented but understandable Breton.<p>

Khorieus was relieved that here was someone here he could communicate with. He had not slept the previous night and had simply maintained a silent vigil as he collected his thoughts. The Elder had grey hair with deep lines upon his face, like the other two "elves", the Elder was significantly smaller than an _Asur_.

'I greet you as well Elder one' replied Khorieus with a polite tone while switching to Breton 'I am Khorieus Alatanrieth, Of the _Asur_ of blessed Ulthuan and Chrace' he said, speaking the names of his people and homeland with reverence 'I need to know exactly, where I am.' The Elder seemed a bit confused at his questions.

'This is the Alienage of Denerim' replied the Elder 'Capital of Ferelden'. Khorieus looked to the Elder confused as well.

'Ferelden?' asked the Chracian, with worry creeping into his tone 'This is not Albion? The people here speak its language; are we not speaking in the language of Bretonnia now?'

'I do not know of this Albion but it is not here' replied the Elder 'I also do not know of a Bretonnia, for here in Ferelden we speak the common language Thedas, the language we are even speaking to one other now is that of Orlais.' The old elf's words finally confirmed the suspicions within Khorieus.

In the past he had been to the White Tower of Hoeth, there he had read many books in regards to the arcane, one particular tome he had skimmed through was known as "Enathir's Dissertation on the Planes of Reality". It spoke about the possible existence of separate worlds and separate universe, an amusing piece with merit, but hardly one with any practical applications to Khorieus. How wrong the Chracian was now, and how much he felt he wished he had a copy of the tome now. He needed to find a mage or place where mages gathered, he needed to find a way to return home.

As the realization sank in, Khorieus looked to the Elder and asked 'Are there any places here where mages gather?'

'Far to the west is the Circle of Magi Tower on Lake Calenhad' said the Elder 'you can also try the Wonders of Thedas in the Market District, but leaving the Alienage for now would be far from wise.'

'And why would that be?' asked Khorieus curiously while arching an eyebrow

'The City Watch is currently looking for someone of your description and are offering a large bounty' said the Elder. Khorieus eyes narrowed and he suddenly tensed himself, as much as the idea galled him, if these other elves sought to turn him in he would break their bones and permanently silence them before they could even leave this house. He noted the other two, Kallian and Cyrion reacting as well with the former tensing herself and getting ready to move. 'We will not tell the City Watch you are here, friend' continued the Elder 'I have been told you helped young Kallian here, as such we welcome you to the Alienage as a friend, but others may not be as quiet as we.'

Relaxing his stance so did the maiden, wherever this Lake Calenhad was, he needed to find it and its mage tower.

'You have my gratitude' said Khorieus as the information sank in.

* * *

><p>The morning passed with the two continuing to converse, Kallian herself had gone out shortly before noon, donning some simple clothes she sought to buy some things from Alarith's shop, while she had completely no idea what passed between the Elder and the warrior as they spoke in Orlesian, the Elder had suggested that she go find clothes suitable for their guest as well as to keep him within their home for now. Searching among the merchant's wares, she engaged in a bit of small talk with some of the other customers, most of the clothes were torn, or worn out; those which were whole were poorly stitched. Eventually she found a set of hand-me-down clothes which seemed to be large enough for their guest.<p>

After purchasing clothes as well as some sundries with some coin from her previous heist, she placed the goods in a woven basket and made her way home. At the current time of the day most elves who had jobs had already gone to work; those who remained were the sick, the jobless, children and beggars. Her shoes squelched over muddy ill-maintained cobblestone road of her home, she passed by the_Vhenedahl_ tree at the heart of the Alienage, it pale brown bark and its green leaves seemed quite healthy this season, a shame the same that the same could not be said for the elves.

Arriving at the front door of her home she turned the handle upon the knob, as the door opened she heard a familiar feminine voice conversing with someone. Oh sod! She thought, going through the door she saw her cousin Shianni seated by the table speaking to the warrior of whom was seated by the other side, the two turned their heads to her and her cousin spoke first.

'Hey cousin!' Shianni said in a cheerful tone, rising up from her chair, she walked to Kallian and the two gave each other a friendly embrace, she could smell cheap the ale on her cousin's breath

'I was just talking to your foreign friend here'. Her cousin gave a smile to the warrior who only gave them a somewhat aloof look.

'Hello to you too cousin' said Kallian trying to be a friendly as possible 'Where is the Elder? He was just here when I left?'

'The Elder left just a while ago, he had some business to attend to' said her cousin, a mischievous grin came upon her face 'so where did you meet your friend there, he is very handsome'. Kallian had to admit the stranger was attractive in a stern sort of way, but he seemed very cold and there was an air of tension around him as if he were expecting trouble.

'It's kind of a weird story' replied Kallian 'I will tell you outside…'

* * *

><p>Watching the two maidens speak, Khorieus maintained his aloof expression. The red-haired one Shianni had come in right before the Elder left, they spoke for a minute or so before leaving Khorieus alone with the maiden. The <em>Asur<em> noted the way she looked at him and was slightly amused by what seemed to be flirtations, while he did consider her a bit pretty despite being so slight of build that it looked as if she had spent a lifetime barely eating; her breath had smelled of cheap human ale. It seemed this entire city and its inhabitants were partial to maintaining an atrocious smell, specifically one akin to rotting garbage and wet hounds.

The black-haired one, Kallian laid down a crudely woven basket by the table; she picked up a pale woolen tunic and handed it to him. The Chracian looked at the clothing with disdain, it was of a poor design which looked as if it had seen too many years of use, and he saw a rust-colored stain over where a man's belly would be and was confident its original owner had met his demise while wearing it. Taking the tunic he had also received a pair of brown trousers and a large pair of worn leather shoes.

When the two maidens left, Khorieus sighed with frustration. He wanted to leave this place already and seek out information for this Lake Calenhad, while he did not fear the guardsmen if the previous night had been any indication of their abilities, he knew nothing of what this world had. He needed more information before making his next move. He had been assured by the Elder that the guardsmen would be unlikely to look for him in the community he had called the Alienage, but was asked to lay low for now.

He wondered how these other elves came to be living in a slum like this. He has seen many such poor communities within the cities of Men in his world, but such places were often entirely inhabited by humans. While there were communities in the Empire which were inhabited by Halflings or Dwarfs, the ones he had seen were significantly much better than this wretched placed. In Marienburg he had been to the opulent district inhabited by the merchant houses of Lothern, simply being there was almost like being back in Ulthuan.

Among the _Asur_, such conditions would be intolerable and no self-respecting Child of Asuryan would allow themselves to be subjected to such. A mixture of pity and contempt began to grow within Khorieus, although he had briefly seen their community, he could feel that quiet sense of desperation and the resignation to accept the squalor to which they lived in.

Removing his breast-plate and placing it in the tub along with the rest of armor, he removed his cold undergarments which were still wet from the rain. Drying himself with a fresh cloth provided earlier by the older elf Cyrion, he began putting on the clothes which were a bit tight, and the shoes as well had felt the same. Removing the cords, the combs and jewelry from his hair, he allowed his mane to flow down freely, he noted the way the maiden, Kallian looked at the decorative pieces upon his hair and was worried the thief may try to steal it.

Looking by the hearth near his weapons was his pack; inside he had kept a case full of healing elixirs, his coin pouch, preserved food items, water skins, there was also a separate sealed compartment where he kept an extra set of clothing which was a silken white and red robe uniform, and boots, the same kind the common archers of his people wore. But the most important of his personal belongings was his pledge ring.

Going to the pack and reaching into it, he pulled out the pledge ring and began to study it with a mix of nostalgia and reverance. Just as he had for these past two centuries, memories of his wife Laneleis and son Aranith briefly coursed through his mind before he shook away the reverie before the regret and anger set in. Placing his ring back into his pouch he picked up another piece of dried cloth and began to get started on drying out his armor, he was annoyed that his white fur cloak was still stained in gore and he would need to do a lot of cleaning to make sure it returned to its pristine state. Searching among the basket of sundries, he found a bar of soap which he hoped would do the task.

* * *

><p>'And that's it really' ended Kallian as she told what happened the previous night to her cousin.<p>

'I'm amazed you were able to get all that' her cousin said 'it must be exciting living the life of a dashing rogue, like in the stories'.

Kallian chuckled with good humor, sure there were some fun parts but she remembered how terrifying and nerve-wracking her first few heists had been. Even now she would still get rather scared at times but in the end she would square up her shoulders and just go for it.

'So how long do you think that Khorieus fellow will be staying?' Asked Shianni curiously, she then added rather coyly 'is he seeing anyone?'.

'Oh you are just terrible!' said Kallian mirthfully, her cousin could certainly become quite fiery and stand offish to others at times, especially towards humans or strangers but a bit too friendly with those she took a liking to after a few drinks.

'Well can you ask him?' her cousin asked again with as much good humor 'anyway I need to get going, see you around cousin!' Embracing each other once more Kallian bid goodbye to her cousin, well what now? She thought, she still had to lay low for now and it was not like she had any day job, she hadn't really had any luck with that for a while.

Turning back to the house and deciding to get started on preparing a meal she heard footsteps from within. The door opened slightly and she saw the large warrior holding a wooden bucket in his hands, the large elf looked down at her and simply said 'water?' in a questioning manner.

'You want me to get water?' she asked

'Yes' replied the warrior before a pause of silence, it seemed like he was trying to find the right word to say then he continued 'please'.

'Oh okay then…' replied Kallian a bit awkwardly at the request before taking the bucket.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in the city as its inhabitants had gone had begun their mornings, Templar Jacob Darius stood outside the slum house, cold fury building up inside him. His face was scarred from many years of loyal service to the Maker and to the Chantry, for years he had hunted apostates, maleficars, demons, monsters, and pagans in the name of Andraste. His bare head was styled with a clean shave and short-cropped graying hair; his helmet held in the crook of his right arm, his mind pieced together what had happened. Inside the building they had found the bodies of several men, women and children both humans and elves.<p>

Most disturbingly of all though were the bodies of the four Templars he had sent there to find that Orlesian Maleficar, the Blood Mage Marius. It was clear that the four Templars had fought their way through the gangs of thugs and mercenaries, some with clear signs of having been puppets through Blood Magic, more deaths upon the hands of the Maleficar. They had then found and cornered the Blood Mage who had been performing some kind of dark spell in a cellar filled with bodies. Then things became strange.

According to the mage who had been assigned to aid to his investigation, a seemingly devout woman who saw her proper place in the order of things named Marissa Theo had begun babbling about the strangest of things. She ranted about dark things not of the Fade but something worse, of things which made mockeries of hope and progress, of a library of forbidden knowledge. She then continued ranting about strange creatures which cackled and wept, with flames of ever-changing colors, of a librarian that twisted the form of man and bird.

Mages, he thought with a grunt. Even the ones who you thought were trained and sanctioned likely contained the seeds of madness. He had the mage knocked out and put under guard, for now there was the possibility of a demon on the loose in the city. They had found the bodies of the Templars hacked up and burned as if each of them had been slain by a weapon enchanted with fire, they then found tracks leading out of the slum house and into the muddy streets.

There was then the report by the local City Watch of an Orlesian Chevalier in Silverite armor who wielded a battle-axe which burned with white fire and slew many guards. Could it be that this Chevalier was connected? Most likely he deduced, but why? It was possible that this Chevalier was a Reaver, a foul dabbler in Blood Magic. He had fought such madmen in the past and the experience of it was one of many etched upon his body. Such was the danger of Blood Magic that even those not born with the curse of magic could learn to wield it.

The height of the Chevalier was also quite unusual according to the report; either this Chevalier was a very tall and broad man… or what if the Chevalier were a Qunari? It would account for the height. He was aware that there were Qunari who traveled along the lands of men, some claimed to be merchants, and some were supposedly sell swords. He himself had met more than a few and learned that those he met had claimed to see the falseness of their pagan faith, could it be that this Chevalier were one? A Qunari who had converted to the true faith of the Maker and become an Orlesian Chevalier? It was unlikely and yet… a possibility. Regardless of whether it was a demon, a Reaver, or a Qunari on the loose, it was his duty to both the people of this city and the Chantry to hunt down and bring this stranger to justice.

He quietly cursed the guards for killing most of the thieves who could have told him what happened, they had found one injured who was still unconscious with the bones under his chest broken. The Templar had already requested for the injured man to be tended to with magic so he may personally question him. While normally he would not bother with petty criminals unless it was out of self-defense or if somehow it had been in the Chantry's interest, there were times during his searches and investigations that even simple brigands could offer useful information. By the accounts of the surviving watchmen, there was one another thief fighting alongside the Chevalier.

He wondered if this thief was a puppet of the Chevalier, or perhaps someone actively working with him? a possibility. The Templar cursed again, he just did not have enough information. Whatever was going on he needed to find this Chevalier, and fast before he escaped the city, already he had heard talk from some of the watchmen about Orlesian saboteurs or spies. It was hardly the time to bring up old grudges with the Darkspawn sightings to the south in the wilds and Maleficars loose all around the kingdom. He swore to the Maker that he would get to the bottom of his, and that he would avenge the deaths of his comrades.

Suddenly noticing a presence to his right, the Templar looked in that direction to see the face Bernard Marqand, a reformed brigand who now served the Chantry. Looking to the quiet and unassuming man with black hair which was balding, his face was of the kind that would easily blend with a crowd, he was clad in a full set of leather armor, he knew that despite seemingly unarmed at the moment, Bernard would be armed to the teeth in cleverly concealable weapons. He wondered how long he had been standing there.

'What do you have for me?' said Darius in a formally authoritative tone.

'Report of a break-in not far from here sir' said the rogue with a formal bow 'a merchant's home a few blocks away'

A break-in? Thought the Templar, while this part of Denerim was not exactly the safest with crimes happening quite regularly, he thought that perhaps it may be a waste of time to investigate. Yet… what if this thief who was spotted working with the Chevalier was there? Could the merchant have had any blasphemous or forbidden objects which could be useful to a Maleficar? Stranger things have happened in the past. His instincts told him that he should check into this just to be sure.

'Investigate it' commanded the Templar

'Maker's will be done' said the rogue who turned about-face and headed off into the direction of the merchant's home. Hearing the footsteps of one of the watchmen he looked in the direction to see a grizzled looking man in his middling years with a scar over his left eye, the respective ocular organ was milky white.

'What should we do now sir? Asked the man who was clearly a City Watch Sergeant, his voice was deep and raspy as if someone had taken a razor to it

'Burn it' commanded the Templar grimly 'This building has been desecrated and only by flame will it be cleansed'. The Watchman nodded and began bellowing out orders, teams of men began preparing buckets of water in case the fire spread as other men began hurling torches upon the building, as small fires began to appear and slowly spread, his mind turned back to the Chevalier, and what form of execution should be meted out once he was found.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen upon Denerim with many of its inhabitants either having already returne to their homes while others had gone out to engage in all manners of nightly activities. In the home of Kallian Tabris all had been quiet save for the soft snores of her father, the elf woman quietly crept towards the front door of her home, clad in her rough leather armor which had been cleaned and dried, surprisingly by their guest. When her hand made contact with the handle of the door, she looked back to see the warrior, Khorieus still sleeping in front of the hearth, his magnificent fur cloak had been cleaned and dried as well, now it served him as a bedding upon the wooden floorboards of their house.<p>

Gently opening the door, she went out into the cold night air of the Alienage, the moon was covered by the clouds and the only sources of light were the few lanterns and sputtering torches which hung outside the building. Taking in a deep breath of the comfortingly familiar fetid smell of the Alienage, she felt relieved to be alone for now. She was a bit surprised to see the warrior actually doing their laundry earlier, she then saw him use the magic fire of his axe to dry their garments.

With a swift and silent stride she made her way to a clear area behind her house, often she would use this place to practice and train her fighting skills. She passed by a few familiar faces along the way, some were drunks returning home, some were beggars with no roofs over their heads, others were a bit more like her. Giving a friendly greeting to those who acknowledged her, she knew that within the Alienage, her kin would not turn a predatory gaze to their friends and neighbors.

At the clearing between the homes of the others, she pulled out her daggers and began a series of exercises her mother had taught her. With a deft series of thrusts and slashes towards an imaginary opponent, she weaved and dodged blows which would had have been deadly, she altered her stance between the defensive and aggressive, she imagined she fought large numbers of men and adjusted her tactics accordingly. The clouds broke to reveal the silvery face of moon, she remembered a story her mother had told her about how the moon and star came to be.

'_Long ago when the world was young'_ her mother had said '_the only things to exist were the World and Sun. The Sun had bowed its head, curious to see the World. Where they touched, the Elgar'nan the All-father was born.'_ Kallian had wondered if her mother had meant the Maker but at the time she had been too captivated by her mother's tale to question.

_'Joy came to the hearts of the Sun and World as any mother and father would bear towards their child, in the joy of the World, she birthed the trees, the birds and all of life as we know it. The All-father praised his mother and knew happiness as he walked upon her surface.'_

'_The Sun's joy then turned to jealousy and anger as he saw the favor of their child upon the World. In rage he burned and scorched the plants and animals of the World. The World then wept tears which would become the ocean and her wounds would become the rivers and lakes. Angered at the harm done to the world, the All-father challenged the Sun to a duel and two battled for a millennia, in their duel the wounds and blood of the Sun became the stars and the in the end the All-father had won by casting the Sun in a deep abyss created by the World's sorrow.'_

'_Darkness covered the World with only the stars, the blood of the Sun to remind the World of what had happened. Seeking to console his mother, the All-father tried to breathe life back to what the Sun had destroyed, he did not know that without the sun life could not grow anew. The World told the All-father of this, but he would have none of it, his anger and vengeance towards the Sun still raged like and inferno and so the world remained in darkness.'_

'_In this time came Mythal The Great Protector, born of the tears of the World, she came to the All-father and pleaded for him to release the Sun. So touched was he by the words of the Great Protector that he realized his anger had blinded him, with his mind changed he went to the abyss where the Sun had been buried. The All-father spoke to the Sun and promised to forgive his father if the Sun promised as well to be gentle to the World. Having grown remorseful, the Sun agreed and was freed, he rose high above the World and with his warmth life flourished once more.'_

'_When the Sun had gone to sleep that night, Mythal gathered the glowing pieces of the World from which they slept, she formed the pieces into a sphere and brought it to the sky and placed it among the stars. To this day, that sphere remained, a constant reminder of the love between the Sun and the World and a reflection to the glory of the Sun'_

With a smile Kallian remembered the story, it was likely just some fairy tale her mother had cooked up, still it was a comforting thing to reminisce upon. The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood up, she had a feeling something was watching her, quickly moving into a defensive stance she surveyed the area around her.

Hearing a soft squelch of mud, one almost impossible to hear, she swiftly turned to the direction of the sound and she saw the warrior, Khorieus standing between the walls of an alley, his white fur cloak was wrapped around him and his hood which she was surprised to see resembled a massive cat-like creature was over his head, its teeth she saw still looked sharp as it touched the flesh upon his forehead. How long had he been there? Stepping from the shadows, she could have sworn the air around him shimmered like heat during summer.

'Can't sleep?' she asked not knowing what else to say.

The warrior looked to her, his cold eyes seemed unnerving in the darkness, gently he shook his head and pointed his left hand at her, he said something in his strange lilting language. He then stepped forward into the clearing and began to move around as if he were attacking something, she then realized that he was imitating her moves and he had done so perfectly he then began to slow down and he began to exaggerate it, he then pointed to her again.

'I don't move like that!' she said a bit annoyed, the warrior stopped and gazed at her once more

'Your strike, wild, no refine' said the warrior slowly in the common tongue, the one he insisted was the language of wherever this Albion is. 'Move like water, have grace' he said.

Kallian snorted at the warrior's words 'Why don't you show me then?' she said mockingly.

The warrior nodded and he pulled the animal head hood of his cloak back as he pushed back the furs which were wrapped around him. She saw that he was clad in a silken robe of white and red. The red cloth was embroidered with strange sigils of a flowing script she could not understand, she could swear that at the corner of her eye the words danced and changed shaped.

The white cloth caught the moon's glow giving the warrior along with his pale skin and hair a ghostly quality that was both eerie and wondrous at the same time. The warrior then pulled a white steel knife from under one of his sleeves, it was an elegant thing of a design she had never seen. With the knife in his right hand he gestured with the other hand for her to come at him.

She gave him a curious look and asked if he was sure, he said something in his language again and gestured with his hand again. Nodding with understanding she dashed towards the warrior, her boots pattered upon the muddy ground. With a thrust of both daggers the warrior jumped back to avoid her strike which would have swept multiple opponents. She came towards him again and struck once more, her right handed dagger shooting forward and retracting at the last moment while simultaneously her left one stabbed forward, the warrior easily slapped her left hand away and she drove up her right knee, aiming for his groin.

To her surprise the warrior intercepted her knee kick with his right hand and with a shove from his left hand he pushed her away. Pushed back by several steps from the force of his shove, adrenaline began course through her and sweat began to appear more freely upon her brow, she had never fought anyone so fast in her life, it was as if he anticipated all of her moves. With a grin, she had to admit she was actually kind of having fun here, charging towards him again, they continued to dance and spar under the moonlit sky.


	2. Arhain

Kneeling down in front of the statue of the Prophet Andraste, Templar Jacob Darius clenched his gauntleted hands together as he whispered his prayers. With reverence he renewed his holy vows, first as a devout follower of the Maker, then his vow as a Templar to protect the world from the dangers of magic. When his prayers had finished he slowly rose and made the sign of the Prophet.

Often when he would perform these prayers, he would enter a sort of meditative trance which calmed him and helped him clear his mind. Unfortunately this time his prayer did nothing to calm the turmoil within. Five days had already passed since the incident at the slum house with the death of his brothers, five days it has been and they were nowhere even closer into finding that Chevalier. For five days the murderer had been free to do whatever nefarious things were being plotted.

There was that thief who had been spotted as well to consider. His information about the thief came from another street rat who simply said it was a female elf, as if learning the culprit was an elf would make any difference. Trying to find one particular elf thief with no specific details on his or her identity was like trying to find a needle in a haystack for Alienages tended to be filled with criminal scum. When he was finished with the street rat, he had given his prisoner to the City Watch, likely they would hang him or lock him up, Darius could hardly care.

Then there was the break-in at that merchant's house, the guard who was protecting the place during the night of the robbery knew nothing for the lout had been asleep the whole time. The merchant in question had been too busy to deal with the Templar's inquiries for he had been bombarded with various problems both professional and personal. It was even to the point that some serious charges were being pressed, the kind that could see the man hanged for dealing with a number of illegal activities.

Already he was losing the City Watch's support due to the baffling increase in criminal activity. When the King called to rally the army to the south, many soldiers from Denerim had left, leaving the watch undermanned and like the craven rats they were, every petty thief and cutthroat saw their opportunity. Thus the City Watch, despite sharing his demand for justice and to see their dead avenged were simply too stretched thin. He supposed he should commend them for doing what must be done to carry out their duties; he would if his internal anger did not burn so brightly.

It always vexed him at how blind the common folk could be to the true dangers around them. How could they understand? Most folk had never seen what happens to a mage who lost control. To see the flesh and bone mutate and change into unnatural forms, to fight face to face with an abomination, to fight the dark things which waited within the Fade, seeking their chance to claim mortal flesh to sate their terrible urges.

In the end, he supposed that he should feel glad that they do not, for only brave men and women with the greatest of physical, mental and most importantly, spiritual strength could handle such a burden without succumbing to madness. Even among the ranks of the Templars there were those who had chinks in their armor, whose faith and will, were not enough, those who could fall to the terrible threat posed by the mage and the demon.

Sighing with frustration he made his way out of the local Chantry chapel within Denerim's Market District. As he passed through the double doors of the Chantry, he was greeted with the warm late morning sun, reaching into a satchel on the side of his belt; he pulled out a small blue phial of Lyrium. Removing the stopper, he placed the phial over his lips and eagerly drank the alchemical mix; it had always amused him that the thing which could empower a mage's spell is what gave him the ability to strike them down.

He had vowed that he would not rest, and that he would find this "Chevalier" bastard, and he would personally see to his execution. Already he had his best men scouring the city for information, his orders to them were to investigate and gather information on the known Orlesians within the city as well as any possible Qunari activity. Soon he thought, soon he will find this murderer.

* * *

><p>'Welcome to the Wonders of Thedas.' said the bald, dark-skinned shop keeper, he wore robes of brown and green, most unusually was his voice which had a strange emotionless tone to it. 'We carry items crafted by the Circle, as well as a variety of antiquities' he continued. 'Is there anything you would like to see?'<p>

Kallian Tabris looked to her companion who replied in his baritone voice 'I see what you sell'.

Currently, Kallian was clad in a set of commoner's clothing; her outfit was simple and made her easy to blend in with the crowd. Her companion on the other hand insisted on wearing his white and red robes for he had disdained the clothes she had purchased for him.

How none of the guards or anyone else in fact had given him any strange looks, or for the matter, had even noticed when he was wearing such foreign clothes was beyond her. It probably had something to do with whatever magic was within that white fur cloak of his that would cause the air shimmer around him. She had asked him during their second night about it as they sparred and his response at the time was 'Grey Wind, _Ulgu, _Shadow Magic'.

For the past few days the City Watch's searched for him still continued but due to the rise in crime lately, the thinly stretched City Watch simply had to move on to the more numerous of problems. It likely had something to do with all those soldiers leaving a few weeks ago. Kallian herself had wanted to get back out there, and take a few opportunities herself, but things were getting rather dangerous out there as the City Watch had been increasing their patrols and even hiring a few mercenaries. She also did not want to further worry her father, as he often would after a heist; there was also their guest she had to look after.

The shopkeeper nodded and the two began to browse his wares. She noted that Khorieus skill in speaking the common language was getting better. For the past days she had been trying to teach him their language (with a bit of help from the Elder, her father and Shianni of whom was enthusiastic about it) and he had proven to be an extraordinarily swift learner.

She had asked him how he learned so quickly and all he said was 'Human speech crude, guttural, lack _Asai_, no _Onai_'.

They looked at the merchant's selection of staves, robes, potions, a book, some pretty glowing crystals and strange stones with symbols etched upon them. The warrior then looked to the merchant and shook his head; she could see he was a bit frustrated at this. The strange shop keeper gave them a polite nod and the warrior walked away towards the front door she guessed that whatever he may have wanted to find was not there.

Leaving the shop, they emerged into the muddy streets of the Market District, the late morning sun was pleasantly warm today. It was a nice change from the cold gloom and the freezing rain which had been passing for the last three days. She noted the look of barely concealed frustration and disappointment on the warrior's face.

'At least you got that map right?' she said while looking up to the warrior who looked down to her with a grim nod.

The previous day when she had been browsing the wares at Alarith's shop, she had found a map of Ferelden which Alarith ensured her was current, while she did not have enough money to buy it at the time, she did return to her home and told Khorieus about it. He had given her the exact price in silvers and asked her to buy it for him. When she had returned and given him the map, he thanked her and spent the rest of the day studying it.

In the few days she had known Khorieus, she realized that she knew so little about him. He was very quiet, not one for small talk, he only spoke when he needed to and it was frustrating to her. She wanted to learn more about this strange foreigner, she knew early on since that first night there was something different and alien about him.

She wasn't really sure if she believed his story about coming from another world, but he was like nothing she had ever seen. He had an unnatural air of grace and nobility, yet at the same time there was something wild and feral about him. She knew that she owed him for healing her and she genuinely wanted to help him, but Khorieus had been very tight-lipped about his affairs and she did not want to do anything to offend him.

The two of them quietly made their way back to the Alienage, although he did not carry his axe with him, she knew he concealed his knife underneath one of his sleeves and she had seen how deadly he could be with that alone. Anyone who could kill a Mabari with a knife quite easily, not even with a proper dagger was someone she would avoid starting an unnecessary fight with.

As they traveled through the Market District, she began sniffing the air for she had picked up the delectable smell of some of the freshly baked pies being sold by one of the stalls. Moving towards the stall, she looked at the sign and it was in some fancy Orlesian sounding name. The stall owner was a portly man in a white tunic and apron with a bald head and beardless face which made him looked a bit like an oversized baby. The stall owner continued hawking towards the crowd in an Orlesian accent and inviting them to try his meat pies.

When she arrived at the stall she looked at what was available, set in neatly organized rows, there were small pieces of flat wood at the front of each row with a delicately red-painted set of words in Orlesian. She had no idea what they were but the one which seemed the most expensive was a "_Canard_" which she saw was outrageously worth six silvers. She sighed and remembered that she had been gambling with a few friends the previous day, it had left her almost penniless.

The stall owner gave her a brief, annoyed looked and gestured with his hands to shoo away before he went back to hawking his wares. Well the rest of the pies were too expensive for her anyway, most of them were of a price range of at least two to four silvers and the cheapest being silver and fifty bits. She was sure that she could find some cheaper ones elsewhere and hope she did not get the runs. Looking back to Khorieus, she was about to tell him that they should go but she then she saw him speaking to the stall owner in Orlesian while pointing at a number of meat pies, each one was twice the size of Kallian's fist.

Khorieus then reached into his coin pouch and produced a whole sovereign, the stall owner looked surprised and he bit the coin first to see if it was real. The human looked surprised when it did not break and he suddenly smiled and began wrapping several pies with a papery foil.

'Merci! Merci! My lord!' said the stall owner cheerily as he wrapped the pies.

Kallian gave the warrior a surprised look; for he had purchased ten pies from the stall. Khorieus then produced a cloth sack she realized was one of the spare ones she would use for heists. The stall owner began to gingerly place the pies into the sack and handed the warrior his change. When the transaction was complete he thanked the warrior and her as well, she noted the stall owner's attitude towards her had suddenly become friendlier.

Khorieus looked to Kallian and he nodded 'To your home' was all he said as he reached into the sack and handed her one of the pies.

Reaching for it, she felt the heat from the pie through the wrapping and she gave the pie a long reverent look, she thanked the strange warrior and bit in, savoring its flaky buttery goodness as well as the savory taste of the saucy meat inside. It was perhaps the best thing she ever had.

* * *

><p>Looking to Kallian as she bit into the pie and began to softly moan in appreciation for its taste, Khorieus thought that at the least she was enjoying the food. He was grateful that she had given him a safe place to rest and recover his strength ever since he had arrived in this world. Buying her a meal was the least he could do as thanks, looking to one of the pies though he was not sure if he was going to enjoy what was going to come next.<p>

In his travels across the Old World, his overall opinion of human culinary skills was that it was as crude as their culture. He had found most human foods to either overcompensate with too much ingredients that the taste was overpowering or too little and bland. There was no balance of taste to it, none of the simplicity that the _Asur_ could make; there was also the worry that the ingredients were improperly stored.

Praying to Isha that he does not come down with some sort of intestinal malady, Khorieus unwrapped one pie and bit into it, his opinion on human cuisine was unchanged. He found the taste to be an overpowering mix of salty and savory, he chewed and swallowed before continuing to eat it in silence. Although he had grown used to eating human food, he had found that at least this pie was far from the worst, better than those "Mystery Meat" ones sold in the Empire which he was rather sure was made from rats, dogs and cats and were major causes of dysentery among the humans.

Khorieus was displeased, but had somewhat expected that the magic store did not have what he sought, he himself had no idea how he would even find some sort of arcane device which would allow him to traverse through different planes of reality. Although he had the map, and now had a general idea that he should keep going west to find Lake Calenhad, he knew not how long the path would take. For all he knew it could take weeks, months even, and he had no idea what he might encounter in the wilds. He would have to stock up on supplies and gather more information before leaving.

As they made their way past the gatehouse which would lead them to the bridge and over the river back to the Alienage, Khorieus used the power of his cloak to conceal himself. He had the feeling that he and Kallian were being watched; he looked back without stopping and narrowed his eyes. A grim look came upon his face, they were…

* * *

><p>Bernard Marquand had been waiting by the pie seller's stall, he became confident that the Orlesian vendor who happened to be new to the city was not the man they were looking for. He would have to report to the Templar that the stall owner was a dead-end.<p>

Then he saw that pretty elf girl arrive, he spent a few moments just looking at her from the side, with her lovely pale skin and black hair. Impure thoughts briefly coursed through his mind. In his old life, he would have thought nothing about ravishing beauties like her. No, he thought he was a married man with a wife and a son waiting for him in Amaranthine, he was a reformed and pious man now. He had found the forgiveness and redemption of the Prophet and the Maker and he had dedicated his life to protecting people now.

He had shaken his head and closed his eyes, he whispered a mantra-like prayer to the Prophet and the Maker and he resolved that needed to absolve himself later. When he had opened his eyes he suddenly saw that strange, tall, and pale mage looking fellow had appeared by the stall. He was dressed in robes of white and red, and he wore a pristine white fur cloak. He could have sworn the mage was not there a second ago, but it looked to the shop keeper as if he were dealing with just another customer.

He heard the mage talk to the stall owner and make his transaction; Bernard noted that the mage had a foreign accent, but not Orlesian. There was something strange about this mage, something that just did not seem right. It was not just the lack of a staff, but also something… off about him. The former brigand had decided to investigate and he began to trail the two, he saw them make their way to the Alienage and when he simply blinked his eyes, the mage was gone.

Not quite sure of what he saw, he was able to catch a glimpse of the stranger's eyes which were icy blue. He then remembered the report from the watch and one of the surviving men had also mentioned something about the Chevalier having icy blue eyes which seemed to pierce into a man's soul. Could it be? He thought; was that the Chevalier they were hunting? The mage-looking fellow certainly fit the bill with the height and broadness, was he in disguise then?

He remembered a story from another Templar about how he had encountered a Dalish mage who wore a full suite of plate armor and could easily fight with both sword and spell. The mage and the Templar were fighting against a group of Tevinter Blood Mages and after the battle was won, the Templar was forced to leave the Dalish apostate alone for he had been highly outnumbered by many Dalish warriors.

Bernard wondered if it was possible that this stranger could be one of these armored mages, might he also be a Maleficar as well? He then decided that he will follow and watch these two, he will have to be careful for he had a feeling the stranger would be on to him. Bernard Marquand had feeling that this stranger may have something to do with the culprit.

* * *

><p>'Breathe, shoot' came the voice of Khorieus once more.<p>

Kallian who was now wearing her leather armor again, took a deep breath and brought up her cheap elm short bow. Her right arm which held the bow had perfectly lined up as she reached for an arrow in the quiver which was strapped to her back. Swiftly pulling an arrow out, she placed the feathered end to the string and pulled it back, she exhaled and let the shaft loose. She watched as the arrow flew towards a scarecrow like figure made from sticks, and sacks filled with hay, each being tied together with rope, it was already filled with many arrows.

The arrow struck against the chest of the scarecrow and she grinned. Looking to Khorieus who nodded with a stern look, she noted that he had been more tense ever since they arrived back at the Alienage, she had asked him about it but he remained as tight-lipped as ever. They were located in the same area where they would spar. For days now, in exchange for the language lessons he had been giving lessons with blade and bow. Already Kallian saw the noticeable improvement in her own talents with archery and dual-weapon fighting.

'All right, my turn' came the eager voice of her cousin Shianni who had joined them in their archery sessions.

The Alienage had an unofficial militia of sorts the Elder had set up, every now and then when their neighbors could, they would gather and perform target practice on makeshift scarecrows. Kallian herself though had chosen to focus on the blade skills her mother had taught her.

Shianni certainly had more practice than Kallian with archery, her cousin raised up her bow and drew the string, with an exhale of air she fired and her arrow struck the scarecrow in the head. Her cousin looked to them and grinned, Kallian knew though that her cousin was really looking at Khorieus.

During their first training session Shianni had feigned needing help with her form and had asked the warrior to help her. Kallian had given them a look of amusement and probably more than a hint of envy when Khorieus had placed his arms over her cousin's. He had gently guided Shianni's hands with his own while offering words of advice and encouragement and when she had loosed the arrow it struck the scarecrow over where a man's heart would be.

'Fine shot' Khorieus said 'now for blades'.

Kallian nodded and she handed her bow and quiver to Shianni, she would take the weapons to the Elder's house for storage.

'See you later cousin' Kallian said, Shianni then gave her a friendly smile and grin to Khorieus who politely nodded to her cousin. Removing her daggers from their sheaths, Kallian began taking a few practice swipes of her weapons; she then looked to the warrior and nodded.

This was the part she enjoyed, the part where she would really get that rush of adrenaline. Khorieus had offered some blades lessons as well to Shianni but she had declined saying that she would rather stick with the bow. Her other cousin Soris though had also taken part in at least three sessions, he had joined at Kallian's "insistence" although he ended up with more than a few bruises, he did prove to have some skill with a sword and shield. He had not been able to join in for today as he claimed he had work to do.

'Begin' Khorieus said.

Kallian dashed towards him with daggers held in a reverse grip, she swung her right blade towards his face and switched the direction of her left one to face upwards, she then thrust her left blade forwards. The warrior leaned back in time to avoid her right dagger, its tip only an inch away from cutting his chin, he slapped her left hand dagger away with his right hand, and she leapt back and rolled upon the muddy ground before stopping with her in a kneeling position.

Seeing him charge towards her now wielding a pair of iron daggers as well, she barely managed to parry a twin thrust of his blade with a back-handed wave of her arms. Sparks showered and she thrust her left foot up to his groin, Khorieus had anticipated this and brought forth his own right leg to block her kick. He then swiftly thrust his forehead towards her and she was forced to roll to her left to avoid the head-butt.

Breathing heavily, Kallian grinned and saw that Khorieus was now on a feigned defense. Not falling for the trap, she held back and tried to circle him, the warrior then began to circle as well in the opposite direction. A tense moment of silence passed and she saw a slight curl on the side of the warrior's mouth before he relaxed his stance.

'You improve' he said with a hint of approval 'you learn fast, soon you ready for basics of _Ceylsenarha_'

'What is that?' asked Kallian curiously while relaxing her own as well.

'Old blade style' Khorieus replied 'from Shadow Warriors, Nagarthye'

'Nagarthye?' She asked curiously 'is that part of Ulthuan?'

'Yes' he said grimly 'also named Shadow Lands'

The name sent a chill up Kallian's spine, the way he said it made it sound unnerving. She briefly thought of some bleak twisted land, covered in darkness with trees which resembled more like spikes, and things which waited for the unwary in the shadows. Not exactly the nicest of places to settle down most likely.

There were many things she wanted ask him about his homeland. He said that he would speak of it, but his knowledge of her language would prevent him from doing it any justice. He asked that she wait until his ability to speak her language was more complete.

There was something about him which made her think about the stories of Arlathan. Her mother had told her a few stories about it, how their people were once immortal and living in homes grander than the current kings of men, that each of their people once had great mastery over magic. How it was the humans who looked upon their kind with envy and made war upon her people. Most of the stories she knew though were only old tales and legends, likely with many parts made up to fill the gaps.

'We resume?' asked Khorieus, breaking her train of thought.

'Yes, lets' replied Kallian eagerly.

* * *

><p>Sitting upon a chair by a writing desk, Jacob Darius was currently located in his office at the Templar chapter house in Denerim. He held in his hands the report of Bernard Marquand. It was written on a small strip of paper, its letters were in the language of Ander, to which the Templar understood fluently. It said:<p>

_No unusual activity with A.G._

_Investigating a possible lead,_

_Will contact later_

_- B.M._

Another dead-end, thought the Templar with frustration mounting. He was wondering, who it could have been to catch Marquand's attention? Could it be the Chevalier or the thief? Only time would tell and he had confidence in Marquand's skill. Hearing a knock on the door he called for the person to come in. When the door opened he heard the heavy clatter of steel plates, looking up he saw the two people before him.

One was a fellow Templar, a tall and strong woman of noble descent, with golden hair which was tied into a bun and eyes of blue he knew as Ser Elena Magdalene. Next to her was a young pretty looking woman with dark skin and brown unkempt hair with green eyes, Darius quickly noted the young woman's blue robes and staff, a mage he thought with a bit of disdain.

Elena was well-known to him for the two of them had hunted Maleficars and Apostates together for twenty years, although he had great respect for her skill and being able to get results when it came to hunting Maleficars and Apostates, he did not approve of her more recent methods in doing so. Elena's style were unorthodox as she would often seek to acquire the services of mages and as well as those non-believers such as dwarves or the Dalish. There were also some of the rumors going about that she cavorted with some of these non-human pagans, but no one has been able to prove it true.

The mage on the other hand he guessed was a Olivia Wells, a mage who had been transferred into his company after his previous one, Marissa Theo had not stopped babbling insanities about the some place called The Inevitable City. Her quarters were found four days ago to be scrawled with strange symbols and writings written in her own blood, she babbled about one called the Everchosen over and over. Darius himself had ended her misery and ordered Marissa's body and quarters to be burned.

This new mage, Olivia Wells was supposedly something of a prodigy according to the papers which were sent to him earlier that day. A staunch member of the Loyalists, skilled in the colleges of the Arcane, Creation and Spirit, the last being especially useful in hunting Maleficars and Apostates. What worried him though, was that according to the mage's papers, this was to be her first assignment in assisting the Templars. The last thing Darius needed was an unproven child.

Rising up from his seat, he gave Elena and the Mage a formal bow and greeted 'Maker's Blessing to you'

'And to you too as well old friend' replied Elena in a friendly tone, she gave him a slight bow before gesture towards the mage in introduction 'And this is Olivia Wells'

'A pleasure Ser' the mage said with a polite curtsy.

Darius greeted her back as well, trying to conceal his disdain. With the formalities ended the Templar wanted to get down to business. With him losing the support of the City Watch, he had requisitioned for aid amongst his fellow Templars, he explained to them the situation with the deaths of Ser Finnick and his party, as well as the possibility of the culprit being an Orlesian Reaver who may or may not be masquerading as a Chevalier.

Elena of course was quick to be on board for this assignment, for she and Finnick were good friends and like Darius, she too sought to avenge their fallen brother. The mage girl took it well and he was surprised at her eagerness to help him catch this had asked her why and she spoke with determination 'Denerim was where I was born, I don't think I would be able to rest well if some Blood Mage were on the loose, preying on innocent people'.

Darius was glad that at the least he would have the full cooperation of all of them. Already he felt that with extra aid, he would be able to catch this Chevalier sooner.

* * *

><p>Bernard Marquand knelt upon the rooftop of one of the Alienage houses; it gave him a good view of the building the robed stranger had been coming in and out of. Earlier he saw the stranger leave with the black-haired elf woman he had seen earlier, he then saw him come back with the same elf woman but also with another one with red hair. He later saw an older elf male enter the home as well.<p>

He wondered, what was going? Was this stranger a member of their family? A friend? Was he the culprit they were looking for? If so were these elves willingly harboring him? Or could they have been puppets? Were he in a human community it would have been easier to bribe or threaten the information of the locals, but it was more difficult with Alienages, for they were usually (but not always) more tight-knit and protective of their kin.

Through the roof tops, he had followed them to a clearing behind the house and he saw the stranger giving the black and red-haired females archery lessons. He was able to hear their names, the black-haired beauty was named Kallian, and the red-haired one of whom he also found rather attractive was named Shianni.

The white-robed stranger had pulled down the animal headed hood of his cloak to reveal a pale skinned white-haired creature, he heard the one Shianni call him Khorieus. During the archery session, the one called Kallian was no great archer, but the other one Shianni had proven much better. The red-haired one then left carrying their bows and quivers, he wanted to follow her and see where the weapons were being taken, but his greater interest had been with the one they called Khorieus.

He watched as the one called Khorieus and the maiden Kallian had both pulled out a pair of daggers and sparred with their blades. He was impressed by the elf woman's skill for she had been fast and skilled, as if she were a natural with a blade. The stranger though he saw was far more skilled, he was stronger and faster as well and it was clear to Bernard's trained eyes that the stranger was holding back.

When the two had finished, he saw the red-haired female return to them. They spoke for a little while before returning to the house. While he had watched the house, he used the time to write his report regarding the stall owner and his new lead. He needed to send his report to the Templar but at the same time he needed to watch the house.

It was fortunate that he saw an elf beggar wandering the streets, Bernard had then descended from the rooftops and he went to the beggar. He offered to pay him two silvers to deliver the message along with his seal proving his association with the Templar Order, he would pay the beggar three more silvers if he returned to this spot with the seal. When the beggar left, he continued to watch the house for an hour. The beggar eventually returned and after being given back his seal and a note from Templar Darius, acknowledging that he received the letter, Bernard had held up his end of the bargain and paid the beggar.

The sun had already set and the moon had risen and the only ones he had seen leave were the red-haired one and the older elf. He wondered if perhaps there was some sort of underground tunnel or perhaps an entrance to the sewers. He cursed and wondered at the possibility.

Already he began to grow tired from his watch; he had not been prepared for a stake out like this. For the entire time he had watched and waited under the warm sun which grew hotter and now it had grown so very cold, he had already missed two meals today thus leaving him hungry, thirsty and tired. He quietly cursed himself for getting too used to "soft living" in this city, years earlier when he had still been an outlaw, he was quite used to going for days without food. He remembered that he also needed to report back in, again he cursed himself for not coming prepared, he was unsure of what course of action to take.

As he thought about his predicament, he noticed the door to the house open; he looked down to see it was the stranger. His eyes widened in surprise for he saw the stranger was now clad in armor of silverite, with a white cloak over him the Chevalier! he thought with alarm

He had spotted the culprit, the one they were searching for. He knew that he needed to get word to Templar Darius and gather the other Templars so they may bring this murderer to justice. He looked down to see the stranger walk towards the Vhenadahl tree, the stranger stopped to look up at the tree before he began to circle around it. He saw the stranger disappear behind the tree and then… nothing. Bernard Marquand grew alarmed, where did the stranger go?

He looked to the sides of the tree and he muttered a profanity, with the darkness of the night it had already become hard to see far away in the dark. He rose up and moved towards his right, he wanted to get a look around to see if he was just standing behind, he made his way across the roof tops to the next series of houses. He alternated between looking to the roof top and to the tree, when he was finally able to see the area where the stranger had disappeared he found nothing.

Magic! He thought, that's the only possible way the stranger had escaped. But how? Could he have cast some sort of spell of teleportation? Or a spell of invisibility? His thoughts began to race and then it hit him. Of course, he should question one of the two women or the older man. Looking down he saw several elves were already returning to their homes from the daily labors. He knew that he would need to report back now and gather the Templars. Descending from the roof tops and sticking to the shadows, he quietly made his way back to the chapter house.

* * *

><p>Watching from the shadows, as the enchantments of <em>Ulgu<em> within his cloak hid him from mortal sight, Khorieus saw the quiet human leave the Alienage. He had known all day that this one was watching and observing both Kallian and he. He did not know who this human was or what he wanted, but whatever was the case, the High Elf swore to Kurnous that he would find out what the human knew, even if it meant tearing the information out one bloody cut at a time.

The man moved with a surprising degree of speed and stealth, while certainly no _Autarii_, he had to admit this one was skilled, for a human. Following the human through the streets and darkened alleyways, Khorieus already had his bow ready, an arrow had already been set by the bowstring and arcane rime began to appear over the arrow-head. When the man had led him to an alleyway with no others beings in sight, Khorieus whispered a prayer to Kurnous. Raising his Ellyrian crafted bow he drew the string and shouted in their language, 'Hey!' before firing the arrow.

The human turned to look at Khorieus, the _Asur_ saw the man's surprised look as he saw the ice coated projectile fly towards him. His surprise was soon followed by a shriek of pain as the arrow struck the man through his right thigh causing him to fall to the muddy ground. The arrow should have struck the bones and broken them, already the enchantment upon it had already caused the man's wound to blacken with frostbite. Swiftly moving towards the downed man, the human was able to look up to the Chracian in time to get an _Ithilmar_ boot to the face.

* * *

><p>'What do you mean he is not here?' Kallian asked her father with alarm.<p>

The sparring sessions between her and Khorieus had been very tiring and strenuous. She had sat down upon her bed to rest while feeling sore from the session, the warrior had then offered to relieve the pain and he had massaged her aching muscles. The next thing she knew, she was smelling her father's cooking and was quickly surprised to not find the warrior around.

'He was not here when I came in' her father said 'was he not with you all day?'

'He was, but…' said Kallian as she looked around their home, she saw Khorieus armor, cloak, axe and bow were gone, but she saw that he had left his robes folded neatly upon one of the chairs by the dining table. She had also seen that his pack was still propped near the hearth by the wall and she saw the map was still rolled up on the table near the keg. Perhaps he had just gone out for a stroll? But why would he bring his weapons and armor with him?

'I am sure he will return' her father said before going back to the cooking pot. Kallian's father had seemed to be taking their guests stay quite well, it was not as if Khorieus had been making himself a burden, the warrior surprisingly had helped them do the laundry as well as keep the house tidy. She had also seen the warrior give coins to her father as if he were paying rent.

She wondered if she should talk with her cousin Shianni, if she had seen Khorieus. Maybe he had gone to her home!? She wondered with more than a bit of alarm. She had seen the way her cousin was around him, yet Kallian was not sure what Khorieus thought about them, he often seemed to either be looking dour, frustrated, aloof or expressionless and only thrice she had seen him with the barest hint of a smile. Kallian found herself unsure on what to think on the matter

'oh sod it' she said with resignation and decided that she should pay Shianni a visit.

* * *

><p>Groaning in pain, Bernard Marquand wearily opened his eyes and found only darkness. He felt so hungry, thirsty and tired at the same time he had felt the pain. He tasted copper and something warm in his mouth, he suddenly realized that it was blood. Licking his tongue around the inside of his mouth, he found two of his front teeth were now loose. Trying to move around, he found that he could not move his arms and legs and he realized that he was tied to a chair.<p>

Looking around the dark room, her began to breathe faster, he began sniffing the air and he found it to be musty, and stale. He had a feeling that he was underground somewhere, but then he caught something strange, he thought he could smell spices and herbs. As he tried to identify the smell, he heard a faint whisper and suddenly he saw the glow of orange lights, the lights appeared in strange elegant symbols he had never seen before, it looked as if some were even changing shape before his very eyes.

The Chevalier! he realized, cursing himself for a fool for getting himself captured by a Maleficar, and he cursed this murderous fiend's black heart. He heard a faint whisper once more and the orange lights turned white and burst into ghostly flames. He then saw that the ghostly pale skinned figure of the Chevalier, he was clad in a white fur cloak and a suit of silverite plate armor which was of a design he had never seen before, clearly not Orlesian. It looked as if it were both beautiful and serviceable at the same time.

The Stranger was wearing a strange pointy helmet and he could see his cold icy blue eyes.

'You will get nothing from me, Maleficar' hissed Bernard through gritted teeth as he looked the stranger in the eye

The Stranger's expression was emotionless like that of a Tranquil, he then asked in a curious tone 'Why you watch me?'

'You know why, murderer!' replied Bernard with hostility

'You guardsman?' asked the Stranger icily.

'You will get nothing from me!' Bernard repeated

The Stranger coldly glared at him, there was something unnerving about the look in the Stranger's eyes. In his own lifetime, Bernard Marquand has fought Blood Mages, Apostates, Qunari, Crows, Demons, Abominations, the Hungering Dead and men who engaged in all sorts of depravities. But the threatening look in this Stranger's eyes chilled him to his very soul, he realized that there was something different, almost otherworldly about him.

The Stranger then raised his axe to his side and it ignited a torch. He then whispered something in a lilting tongue and the axe's fires died away, leaving only the light of the torch. Through the torchlight, Bernard could see that he was in a small cellar, similar to the one where the Maleficar and the Templars were found dead. Abandoned buildings like this were common in the more lawless areas of Denerim where people often got robbed or murdered in the streets.

The Stranger then set his axe by one of the dark corners where Bernard thought he could see a bow and a quiver. The Stranger then removed his fur cloak and he neatly folded it next to the weapons, he then went back to Bernard.

'I give warning' he said in a low and threatening voice 'Tell me why you follow, and no pain for you, and you live. Do not tell, and I force you, with pain you never know'

'Sod off you monster!' cursed Marquand and he spat bloody phlegm on the Stranger's face.

The Stranger's expression did not change, he wiped the blood away and he reached for something on the side of his belt. He then drew an elegant curved knife of a design he had never seen before, it looked to be made from White Steel. The warrior then looked Bernard in the eye and spoke.

'In my homeland, there is place called Nagarthye. Also named Shadow Lands, is home to Warriors of Shadows. They fight eternal war against _Druchii' _Bernard noted the hatefulness in the Stranger's tone at the last word.

'They learn many from war with _Druchii_. Hate, Vengeance, Sacrifice, Murder, Pain, many things. I live with Warriors of Shadow, learn much from them, now **you** learn…'

* * *

><p>Hearing a gentle series of knocks on the front door, Kallian awoke from her sleep. Her home was dimly lighted by a few melted wax candles and the embers from the heart. All night she had waited for Khorieus by the dining table must have dozed off. She had asked her cousin Shianni if she had seen the warrior and found that her cousin did not see him at all.<p>

Trying to shake away her grogginess, she went to the door, she looked back to the bedroom and cold hear the soft snores of her father. When she opened the door she saw it was Khorieus, the warrior wore the armor she had thought was Silverite, but he had called _Ithilmar_.

'Where were you!?' whispered Kallian while trying to be quiet and not disturb her father's sleep 'Do you know how worried I was!?'

Khorieus gave her a bow and said 'I apologize, I desire no problem for you'

With a soft grunt, Kallian stepped aside and allowed him in. She noted that he was carrying one of her spare sacks again, and it was filled.

'Did you steal something?' she asked with a mix of alarm and curiosity

'No' said the warrior 'I earn, you have, as gift. Gratitude for letting me stay'

The warrior then placed the sack on the dining table, he began taking out several items which were partially illuminated by the candles. She saw the first was a full set of dark grey studded leather armor; it was made of a much higher quality material than her own armor. Then there was a pair of bright red daggers which softly glowed in the dark, then there was a white crossbow and a quiver of bolts. There was also a belt, two rings and an amulet, each one was quite beautiful in their own ways.

Her eyes widened at these "gifts" for each was something she had only seen in the wares of merchants but never had the money to afford it. Shaking away her astonishment, she looked to Khorieus 'Are you sure you did not steal these?'

'I am Highborn of Ulthuan' replied Khorieus 'Thievery not honorable, I earn'

'Were you followed?' she asked, choosing to ignore the jab at her profession.

'No' he said 'I move swift and quiet'. Kallian gave him a long hard look, she really could not tell with him, it was like reading the expression of a rock.

'Well fine then, thank you' sighed Kallian with resignation. She saw Khorieus setting his cloak down in front of the hearth again and placing his weapons near it, as the warrior began to remove his armor, Kallian could not help but feel a bit worried.

* * *

><p>Sister Siobhan of the Denerim Chantry grunted as she worked the pulley of the well. She pulled with all of her might to get the bucket of water up, when it finally reached the top she sighed with relief as sweat began to appear upon her brow. Deciding to take a sip before bringing the water inside the chapel so they could begin mopping, she lifted the rim of the bucket to her lips.<p>

She felt the refreshingly cool water touch her lips and flow into her mouth, there was a strange taste though, it was metallic and coppery. She began to smell the water and the realization hit her, blood, the well tasted of blood!

* * *

><p>'Maker Breath' muttered Templar Darius as he pulled over the soggy blanket which covered the body. It revealed the eyeless face of Bernard Marquand, to his horror he even saw that Bernard's tongue was cut out. By the Maker, what was Darius going to tell Marquand's wife? Anger burned within him, he knew it was the Chevalier, it had to be. The Market District's Watch Leader, a Sergeant Kylon believed it was the work of some of the local criminals. He mentioned how the well in front of the chapel was sometimes used to dispose of bodies.<p>

He saw that horrible look on the corpse's face, the Templar deduced that Bernard died in a great deal of pain, likely he had died screaming as well. He knew Bernard well and it just seemed impossible, the two men had fought alongside each other for many years and he knew the man was made of stern stuff. Pulling down more of the blanket, he saw that Bernard was killed with his throat slit, as he looked more upon the body he found the man was also robbed of his dignity.

His enchanted leather armor and weapons were gone, he was clad only in his undergarments, he saw several cuts bruises and burns across his arms, and torso. He saw that Bernard's finger's were horribly bent and mutilated and as he looked further down, he saw the man's legs were blackened with frostbite. Most horribly was that his stomach was cut open and several of his entrails were exposed. He even saw that some of the man's organs were mutilated as well.

Quickly covering the body and feeling his bile rise, he wanted to vomit like the noble born fops which had recently joined the Market's Watch. Taking a deep breath and trying to clear his head, he saw Elena and the Mage approaching him.

'It's Bernard isn't it?' asked Elena with a mix of sadness and anger. She too had considered a Bernard a comrade, it was she who helped reform the former outlaw. Elena had even attended Bernard's wedding and had become good friends with his wife.

'I am sorry to hear what happened sir' the Mage girl said with sympathy 'I hear he was a good man, I am sure he is with the Maker now'

'He was' said Darius with a hard look, his gauntleted fists clenched tightly. That is now five members of Andraste's holy followers who were now dead. All slain by that Chevalier, he wanted to shout and to scream to the Maker, but he held it in. With grim determination his resolve in finding this bastard increased.

* * *

><p>Lying down upon his white fur cloak, Khorieus kept to his own silent council of what he had learned. It seemed that the human he had "questioned" was an associate of some religious order, much like those brutish Witch Hunters of the Empire. Also, he had learned that the knights he had killed on the first night he arrived in this world were members of these so-called Templars. They thought him to be some sort of sorcerer, a "Maleficar" as the man insisted on calling him.<p>

It did not surprise the Chracian that the humans of this world could be just as fanatical as the ones in his. He really would have let the human live with only minor maiming had he not slipped his knowledge of the High Elf's association with Kallian and her family, as well as the knowledge that Khorieus had been residing within their home. The human knew too much and he needed to be blinded and silenced for the High Elf knew not what sorcery the people of this world were capable of, as such he needed to be thorough.

He knew that he would need to leave this city soon and head for Lake Calenhad and find those Mages. But if what he had learned from the human was true, then there would be more of these Templars there at the Mage Tower. One bridge at a time he thought to himself. He needed to leave as soon as possible, his presence would only endanger Kallian and her family. The road of the _Asur_ was always one fraught with peril; he thought to himself.


	3. Saroir

**Author's Note: As a heads up there is going to be a lot and I mean a lot of dialogue here that is just straight from the game itself. You will know when you see it.**

* * *

><p>'Wake up, Cousin!' came the familiar voice of Shianni whose breath smelled of alcohol again 'Why are you still in bed? It's your big day'. She said excitedly<p>

Slowly opening her eyes, Kallian Tabris felt so sore from the previous night's training session with Khorieus. For the last two days, a week since they had first met, his sessions for her had become more intense than usual. Rising from her bed, Kallian groaned

'…. Just a little longer…' she said groggily

'Come on! Don't make me use cold water again' her cousin said with a smile as she folded her arms 'You **do** remember what today is don't you?'

'Someone's wedding?' groaned Kallian as the aches in her bones and muscles hit her like a hammer.

'A **double** wedding! You're getting married, and so is Soris!' Shianni said excitedly 'That's what I came to tell you! Your groom, Nelaros… he's here early'

Kallian's eyes opened widely at the information, she had completely forgotten about the wedding! She was so caught up in this business with their strange guest that she actually forgot what will be one of the most important days of her life.

'So that means we do it now?' she said with panic rising 'I'm not ready!'

'Well it's going to happen anyway, so hold your breath and jump in' Shianni said while trying to cheer Kallian up 'There's going to be music, decorations, feasting… weddings are so much fun! You're so lucky!'

Rubbing her eyes with her right index finger and thumb, Kallian replied a bit sarcastically 'Maybe you should be the one getting married.'

Shianni smiled and said mirthfully 'All in good time, Cousin. This is your day, not mine!'

Kallian groaned and began rotating the joint of where her shoulders and arms met. During the previous night's training session, she was told to focus on defense. Trying to block each dagger strike from Khorieus was like blocking the force of a great sword.

'All right, I'll stop tormenting you. I should go talk to the other bridesmaids and find my dress.' Her cousin said 'Oh and Soris said that he'll be waiting for you outside. So move it!'

Kallian nodded as her cousin left, she saw her father standing not far away with a somewhat sad look on his face. As their eyes met he gave her a weak smile and spoke

'Ah, my little girl. Its…' he said with a pause as he looked down to the floor board then back to her 'it's the last day I'll be able to call you that.' She noted the sadness in his voice when whenever he thought about her mother Adaia. 'Oh I wish your mother could have been here!' finally finished her father.

'Me too, Father.' Kallian said a bit sadly before her thoughts went back to the wedding 'Well, what should I be doing?' Her father then shook away all current thoughts about her mother and he began to speak more normally

'All right, time for you to go find Soris.' He said 'the sooner this wedding starts the less chance you two have to escape.'

'I want to see my betrothed, at least' she said as questions began coursing through her mind. Will he be big and strong, will he be handsome or nice? Will he just be some ugly prick with money?

'You will soon enough' her father said ending the matter 'Oh one last thing before you go, my dear.' He added a bit worriedly 'you're martial training… the swordplay, knives, archery and whatever else your mother or whatever Khorieus trained you in. It's best not to mention it to your betrothed.' Kallian noted that this was the first time she heard her father referred to Khorieus by his first name.

'He'll find out sooner or later' Kallian said with a shrug and a grin

'Later. Definitely later' her father said 'We don't want to seem like troublemakers, after all. Adaia made that mistake'. Kallian was a little surprised to hear her father mention her mother's name; it had been a long time since she last heard it from him.

Kallian nodded and she remembered her mother for what she was. She missed her dearly 'Mother was a clever rogue' she said sadly.

'Yes. That she was' her father said, knowing the feeling was mutual. He then went to the shelf next to him and picked up a set of lovely set of clothes and a pair of leather boots which were patterned with vines.

Presenting the apparel to Kallian, her father then said 'Take this. Your mother would have wanted you to have it. It's the least I can give you, as you start your new life.'

Taking the dress and the boots, she marveled at the expensive clothing which was finely embroidered with silk panels and elegant stitching in gold and silver thread. She smiled to her father and gave him a hug.

'Go on and get dressed then.' He said with a smile as he patter her back 'I still have some things to do, and Soris is no doubt waiting for you'.

'Oh where is Khorieus anyway?' she asked wondering about the warrior as she gently disentangled from her father

'I last saw him heading to Alarith's' her father said.

She noted that the warrior has been buying a lot from there lately, ever since those two nights ago when he came back very late. Did he really get into some sort of trouble that night? Was he planning on leaving soon? The City Watch's search for him had virtually ceased since the guards were now stretched too thin, too much crime was going on in the city that even Kallian herself thought twice about leaving the Alienage.

Moving back to the bunk beds, she had offered Khorieus a spot on the top one, but he had politely declined and preferred to sleep near the hearth. Removing her dress and putting on her wedding dress, she was surprised that the measurements were just perfect for her, she had also put on the leather boots and it too felt comfortable and was of a perfect fit.

As she dressed up, she heard the footsteps of her father make his way to the front door. She heard the creak of the wooden door open and then closing after a few seconds. When she had finished dressing, she walked back into the main dining/living area of her house and she was surprised to see Khorieus sitting by the dining table. The warrior was dressed in his robes of white and red and was once more studying the map and she noted his pack was placed by his seat.

So he was leaving she thought sadly. She had yet to hear more about his homeland or even more about himself, but if what he said was true that he needed to go back, she supposed she should not do anything to stop him. In a strange way she had become very fond of the strange foreigner who had quite accidentally bumped into her life. The warrior then looked to Kallian and he gave her a look which surprised her, it was a smile, a genuine warm smile as he stood up.

'I hear you are getting married' he said with an uncharacteristically warm tone, one which reminded Kallian of her father when he was proud. 'You have my congratulations and prayers that your marriage is fortuitous'

Kallian was a surprised at how much the warrior had improved in being able to speak the common language. First he had barely been able to speak a sentence and now it was almost as if she were talking to another Fereldan. He then went back to the map and for a moment, Kallian wished she never told him about it, she kind of wished that he would stay with them.

'You are leaving, aren't you?' she asked sadly.

'Soon' Khorieus said 'I need to leave soon'

'Why?' she asked a bit desperately 'Do you really have to go? Can't you stay?'

Khorieus stood up to his full height, his shoulders were squared and he gave her a look that was a mix of both pride and sadness.

'I cannot stay' he said with sigh 'I must return home, for I still have my duties, to the _Asur_, to Ulthuan.'

Kallian then looked to warrior with eyes which were almost ready to burst with tears 'Will I ever see you again?' she asked.

'I know not, Kallian' he said. It was the first time she ever heard him use her name, all this time he had been referring to her as child or simply Tabris then more recently, _mornah _which she noted was said with a hint of more affectation. Silenced passed between the two as they looked at each other, the warrior broke contact and looked to his knife which was by his right hip. Khorieus placed his right palm upon it and she wondered what he was going to do.

'I have a gift for you' he said as he drew the blade and placed it by a thick strand of his long hair which was undecorated. With a simple flick of his right wrist as his left hand held the strand, he cut a lock of his hair and he offered it to her.

'In Ulthuan' he said '_Asur_ give lovers or those closest to them a lock of hair. We believe it grants strength and fortune.' taking the lock of silvery white hair in her hands, Kallian felt its soft silkiness.

'_Saroir_' he then said with a smile 'May the flame of your love, last for eternity. May it burn all those who wish to break it'

Kallian wanted to say something, but she was interrupted as the warrior gently wrapped her in his arms and her head was pressed against his abdomen. He began to whisper in his lilting tongue 'Ien_ athai matalan Lecai, maraiya nai Yenlui imai Saroir anah Daroir'_.

She was not sure if it was a prayer or a blessing, there was something about it which touched her deeply for it was rather comforting to hear. She looked up to him with a smile and she felt his lips pressing against her forehead.

Khorieus then said to her with much pride 'Now go to your wedding _Mornah_, and may Lileath shine her light upon your future.'

* * *

><p>Templar Jacob Darius swung his long sword at the practice dummy; his anger lent him strength with each strike. Already it had been a week since the beginning of his investigation with the Chevalier, and still they did not find him. They had questioned the beggar who delivered the letter to the chapter house and it had ended in a dead-end for Bernard Marquand had not told the beggar anything.<p>

Darius had already written a letter which would be sent to Amaranthine by carrier pigeon. The letter was a notice to the now widowed Moira Marquand whose husband, Bernard had died two nights ago. It was dead-ends upon dead-ends for this investigation, and he was still no sooner to catching the elusive Chevalier than last week. Could he be wrong? Was the Chevalier just a man who was simply in the wrong place and the wrong time while the real killer, the true Maleficar was someone else?

He did not know, for the first time in decades, Templar Jacob Darius doubted his own skills. He knew that now would not be the time to give up. Now would be the time to put his trust in the Maker that justice will be served. He then heard a series of soft footsteps from behind him, he looked back to see the mage girl, Olivia carrying a wooden tray with a clay cup upon it.

'Ser Elena asked me to give this to you sir' she said politely as she offered the tray to him 'it's just a simple mixture of herbs to help you rest, I've been told you have not been sleeping well'.

The mage was right, ever since the beginning of this investigation he has not been resting, he has seen himself in the mirror and he had seen the deep eye-bags which rimmed the under of his eyes.

'Thank you' was all he said as he picked up the cup and began to drink it.

Putting the cup on the tray, he yawned and felt the sleepiness hit him. Sleep, he thought to himself, he needed to sleep and rest on it. Perhaps when he awakened his mind would be cleared, smiling to the mage girl, he thanked her again.

It was a rare thing for Templar Darius to feel anything other than contempt or disgust for a mage, there was something about this girl he liked. She reminded him a bit of his own daughter, when she was her age. His daughter, Katherine, was now all grown up and living in Highever, happily married and according to her last letter was expecting to give birth by next month, making him a grand-father.

Bidding the mage farewell, he slowly made his way to his quarters. He groggily removed his armor and just dropped it in a pile before he fell asleep. For the first time in a week, Templar Jacob Darius was able to sleep without worry.

* * *

><p>After Kallian left, Khorieus sighed and hoped that her wedding would go off without a problem and that she and her husband would be happy. He guessed that he should be leaving Denerim today, his plan of simply walking out of the gate with his cloak concealing him was… problematic at the moment. Due to his regular and almost constant use of its magic, the power of his cloak had significantly weakened and would need time to restore itself. He would have to wait until night to make his escape.<p>

Taking stock of his inventory and making sure he had the map and was well supplied with medicine, food, water and other miscellaneous objects, he became satisfied that everything was in order. From the side of his belt he removed a small leather bag, within it contained a pair of silver framed mirrors depicting birds and deer. He had purchased one for Shianni, for he had grown fond of the maiden, despite her clumsy yet amusing attempts at flirtation. The other was of course for Kallian, unfortunately when he had bought it, he did not know there was to be a wedding. Hopefully her husband would think she owned it previously before they had even met rather than think that she had a secret affair.

As he made one last look through his possessions, he realized that he was already becoming quite low on money. Before he arrived in this world, his travels across the Old World did not exactly leave him wealthy. The result was rather expected for most of the "loot" (as other adventurers had put it) he had acquired were either chaos tainted objects that had to be destroyed, or crude and ugly objects of a barbaric design which were impractical for a human to use.

Sure he had found a few nice things here and there, but not enough for him to afford retiring at a luxurious manse in Lothern. There was also the fact that his entire reason for going to the Old World was to find battle and things to bury his axe into rather than acquire wealth. He supposed he could do some mercenary work while he was on this world, for he had already done so in his own world.

Knowing that night would be far away from now, Khorieus set his cloak in front of the hearth and sat cross-legged on top of it. Placing his axe on his lap, he quietly began a restful meditative trance he had learned from the Swordmasters of Hoeth. He would need to prepare himself both physically and mentally for his departure, he would finally take what he hoped will be his first step towards home.

Walking past the old Vhenadahl tree along with her cousin Soris, Kallian actually felt a mixture excitement and nervousness. Earlier she had met a nice old couple who were friends to her mother and had given her a gift of silver coins which she ended up giving most of it to a friend named Nessa so she would not have to leave. Already she talked to a trio of fellows getting quite drunk, a friend of Soris whose brother had left the city and she even had time to see what was going on with a pair of children playing make-believe heroes and calling themselves Swordmasters and Sea guard, kids these days she thought with amusement.

Ahead of Kallian, she saw her cousin Shianni and two of her other friends who were to going to be her bridesmaids. As Shianni waved at them, Kallian noted a trio of well dressed human men coming from behind them. One of the men a certainly well fed human grabbed Nola, one of the bridesmaids from behind her shoulder.

Nola shouted and pleaded to be released as she struggled from the man's grip, the man let her go and Kallian could see a disgusting look of sadistic amusement on his face.

'It' a party isn't it?' the lead man said 'grab a whore and have a good time' he continued in a sinister tone, he then quietly laughed in an evil sound way. The humans around him smiled as well and in amusement

'Savor the hunt boys' said the lead man who then looked to Shianni and grinned 'Take this little elven wench, here… so young and vulnerable…'

Kallian saw Shianni clench her fists 'Touch me and I'll gut you, you pig!' she shouted threateningly, the lead man was clearly unimpressed. One of her neighbors stepped forward and pleaded with the human to leave them be for the sake of the wedding. The lead man quickly gave the one who stood up a backhanded slap and demanded for silence. Kallian's fists clenched at this, already she felt her anger rise towards these bully boys who were abusing her friends and neighbors.

'I know what you're thinking' came the timid voice of Soris 'but maybe we shouldn't get involved…'

Kallian glanced at Soris and gave him a hard look, she replied in a serious tone which made it clear that she would brook no further argument 'Objection noted. Now get out of my way.'

'Fine' her cousin sighed in resignation 'but let's try to be diplomatic okay?'

The lead human then noticed Kallian and he gave her a leer 'What this?' he said while moving towards them 'Another lovely one come to keep me company?' he asked while doing a bad job at trying to sound charming.

As much as Kallian wanted to kick this man in the genitals, she kept her cool and said 'You need to leave, now'

'Ha! You hear that, Vaughan' shouted one of the other men. The lead human, this Vaughan whose name seemed familiar to Kallian scoffed and gave her and incredulous look.

'Do you have any idea who I am?' he said loudly. The Vaughan was about to say something, but the next thing Kallian saw was Shianni coming from behind and hitting the man over the head with a bottle. The human was quickly knocked out and he fell upon his back, there was a look of surprise on the faces of the other humans.

One of the men stepped forward and shouted 'Are you insane!? This is Vaughan Urien, the Arl of Denerim's son!'

Oh sod was all Kallian could think of, the Arl's son. She looked to Shiann who covered her face, she as well could not quite believe what she just did and she swore to the Maker. Trying to diffuse the dire situation Kallian tried to reason with them

'Take him home.' She said 'If you don't mention this we won't'

Another man stepped forward angered and said 'You've a lot of nerve, knife-ears' she could hear the threat in his voice and had a feeling she knew what came next 'This'll go badly for you'. The two men picked up Vaughan and carried him out.

'I really messed up this time.' Said Shianni in a rather mortified tone

'It'll be all right' Soris said trying to help relieve their cousin 'He won't tell anyone an elven woman took him down.'

'I hope so' Shianni said looking sullenly, she then began to walk away towards her home and she muttered 'I should go get cleaned up'

As Shianni left, Soris asked if everyone else was all right. A pinch faced elf woman Kallian did not know of whom was accompanied by a handsome man answered and simply said that the rest were shaken up and she inquired about them. Soris nervously laughed and tried to joke about the Arl's son drinking too early. Kallian noted the change in Soris voice and she guessed this woman was his bride.

'Uh, this is Valora, my betrothed.' He said nervously

'And this man must be my betrothed' Kallian said as she looked at her groom's chiseled and handsome features.

'A pleasure' he said in a cultured voice 'Soris said much of you… some of it was even positive'

Kallian gave a glaring look at Soris whose profuse sweating had increased. 'Hey I just wanted to give you a sporting chance to run.' He said while nervously laughing afterwards 'I am sure the two of you have a lot to discuss'.

'Well, here we are… are you nervous?' Asked her groom, a bit nervous himself, Kallian had to admit that she herself was nervous, but she found him very attractive and had a good feeling about him. Who knows she thought, perhaps he may be the man she has been waiting for.

'I was until I saw you' Kallian said with a smile as she clasped his hand, she remembered the lock of hair from Khorieus and she remembered that she would have to tie it around the hand of both she and her groom for luck.

Her groom smiled to her and said while holding her hand 'I'll spend every waking moment learning to make you happy'

Standing upon the stage beside her groom Nelaros, Kallian felt her heart beating loudly under her breast. She had wished her cousin luck, she had heard the speech of the Elder, reminding them of their history and she began to hear the prayers to the Maker from Mother Boann.

'In the name of the Maker, who brought us to this world' the priestess said 'and in whose name we say the Chant of light' Kallian noticed the familiar figure of Vaughan again coming from the side of the Alienage. Her eyes widened and all she could think was, oh sod.

Soris then pointed at the incoming human nobleman. All eyes were upon the man and his gang of thugs.

'Milord?' asked the priestess and doing badly to conceal her surprise 'This is an… unexpected surprise'

The nobleman began to ascend the small stair case and he spoke in an almost jolly tone which unnerved Kallian

'Sorry to interrupt, Mother' as he reached the top of the stairs and onto the platform 'but I'm having a party and we're dreadfully short on female guests.' He said with a laugh

'Milord this is a wedding!' the priestess said a bit outraged

The nobleman laughed and said quite loudly 'If you want to dress up your pets and have tea parties, that's your business.' As he spoke, Kallian saw Valora pulled away by one of Vaughan's thugs. The man then walked up to the priestess and ended 'But don't pretend this is a proper wedding'

Stepping away from the priestess, Vaughan then went back to his men and said 'Now were here for a good time aren't we boys?'

One of his men, the one who had asked if they were insane, laughed and said to the bridesmaids in a mocking tone 'Just a good time with the ladies, that's all'. Another man, the one who made the thinly veiled threat was standing behind Shianni, and laughed.

With an evil smile, Vaughan then said 'Lets, take those two' as he pointed at Kallian's bridesmaids 'the one in the tight dress' he said while looking to Valora. 'And…' he then began looking amongst the crowd 'Where's the bitch that bottled me?'

'Over here Lord Vaughan!' Shouted the man behind Shianni who grabbed her by the arm, Shianni struggled from the man's grip and shouted at them while demanding to be released.

'Oh I'll enjoy taming her.' Vaughan said with a laugh. He then looked to Kallian with that leer again 'And see the pretty bride' he said in a quiet and threatening manner.

Nelaros then looked to her with a determined and brave look; he then said 'Don't worry. I wont let them take you!' Touched that he was willing to risk his own life to save the honor of a woman he barely knew, Kallian's respect for her groom increased greatly.

'I won't let them take Shianni!' interjected Kallian. The nobleman quickly took notice of her and she could see his eyes upon her

'Ah, yes… such a well-formed little thing.' The nobleman said while narrowing his eyes

'You villain!' shouted Nelaros as he looked the nobleman in the eye. The nobleman then glared at the two of them and gave a very threatening look

'That's quite enough' he said with a laugh 'I'm sure we all want to avoid further… unpleasantness

Looking the man in the eye Kallian just said loudly with as much authority as she could 'Take me, but let the others go!'

'That wouldn't be much of a party now, would it' mocked the nobleman 'Oh, were going to have some fun' he said with a laugh. She saw as one of Vaughan's men went up to her with a stupid grin on his face. The last thing Kallian knew before being knocked unconscious was the strong backhanded slap of the man and her face hitting the wooden boards.

* * *

><p>Hearing the front door of the house swiftly opened, Khorieus broke his meditation and opened his eyes.<p>

'Khorieus!' he heard the distressed voice of the one called Soris.

Rising up from his sitting position, the Chracian turned around to see Soris of whom he remembered was also getting married today. Beside Soris was Kallian's father, Cyrion and another elf with short blonde hair, the one he did not know was sporting an angry look. Khorieus swiftly noted the distressed looks upon each of them.

'They've been kidnapped!' exclaimed Soris

'Who?' asked Khorieus and already he was starting to have an uneasy feeling

'Kallian, Shianni, Valora, all the bridesmaids!' Soris said.

Khorieus eyes widened at the news of this 'Who took them!? Where did they go!?' the High Elf commanded.

'A human lord named Vaughan Urien' spoke Cyrion who then pleaded 'please, you have to help my daughter and the others. They are being brought to his estate to the south-west of the Alienage.'

Khorieus fists tightly clenched at the news of this, Lord of Murder! He thought. He did not have time to berate their inability to protect their own. Picking up his cloak and turning his back to them, he swiftly moved towards the bath tub where he kept his armor, he began to swiftly equip the enchanted _Ithilmar_ plates.

'Who is this?' Khorieus heard the voice of the blonde haired one

'A friend' replied the voice of Cyrion. It took Khorieus a minute to hastily put on his armor; he tightened the leather straps and had no time to put his iron cords or decorative hair pieces which he left in his pack. Finally putting on his helmet and donning his cloak, he went beside the hearth to get his quiver, his bow and his axe.

He also went towards the bunk beds where he noted was where Kallian hid her short swords, the ones which she insisted on calling daggers. Picking up a pair of Iron "daggers" he tied them to his belt, he then finally picked up his pack in the event that he will need to leave the city earlier than he had planned.

'Please be swift' pleaded Cyrion 'There are many terrible stories about the arl's son and what he does to women'.

Khorieus did not bother to look at them before leaving the house. Stepping out into the slum, he saw the eyes of several elves soon fall upon him. Throughout the entire week he had mostly spent his time in Kallian's home, each time he had stepped out, he had always used his cloak's magic to conceal himself from most of them. As far as the Chracian was aware, the only ones who knew of his presence were Kallian and her family, the Elder, two children who had seen him the previous day and the red-haired merchant. Moving towards the whispering and distressed crowd, they parted before him.

Ignoring the curious attention of the crowd, he moved towards a platform where he swiftly deduced would be the most likely spot to hold a public event; he knelt down and began examining for foot prints. He found several muddy shoe prints leading down into the ground to which he followed; there were some clear signs of a struggle and someone being dragged. He followed the trail to the southern gate of the Alienage, and he began to wonder what course of action he should take.

With the sun still high, his gleaming armor would be highly noticeable. He could try climbing the buildings and leaping from the rooftops as he had done in the past among the Shadow Warriors. But that would take too much time, and one misstep would be disastrous. He already had a good guess on what kind of person this Vaughan fellow was; for he had centuries of experience fighting against murderous rapists.

In the end, Khorieus decided that for the sake of speed he will take the most direct route. He would not forgive himself if the maidens were violated because he tried to remain out of sight. He will have to leave the city as quickly as he could after the maidens were safe. Tightly gripping his axe and whispering a prayer to Khaine, he vowed that he will not be stopped and anyone who gets in his way, he will send their blood and souls screaming to the Lord of Murder.

* * *

><p>Guardsman William yawned in boredom as he stood on watch by his post. For the last three days nothing much had been happening on his shifts, he supposed he should feel lucky. The men at the Night Watch were always talking about having to stop criminal scum violating the laws in the dead of the night. Still, William at times wished something a bit exciting would happen, he began to feel hungry and he hoped that he will be relieved soon, he had been standing about since sunrise.<p>

Stretching his arms, he really began to feel the weight of his chain mail armor, he removed his helmet and wiped his sweaty brow. When he put it back on, he caught a glimpse of someone running past him, he saw it was tall, broad and pale skinned man in shining armor that looked like…

'Oh sod!' he said to himself. It was that Orlesian Chevalier they and the Templars were looking for! Looking to the Chevalier, he saw the fugitive take a turn by one of the city blocks, quickly weighing his options; he heard how the Chevalier killed a lot of men on the Night Watch, some of whom he knew well as good men.

He was not stupid enough to think that he could take this fugitive on his own though, Running towards the closest City Watch barracks; he would raise the alarm so they will inform the Templars as well and they could use the Mabaris to sniff the Chevalier out.

* * *

><p>Following the tracks to a large fortified estate, Khorieus had to admit that he really did not think this through. The gate was open which was good for him, but he saw at least six men guarding the gates, he also wouldn't be surprised if there were archers on the walls. If he had the luxury of time he would choose to sneak in, but right now he would need haste.<p>

Attacking a fortified structure by the front gate all on your own he bitterly thought to himself, could be worse he supposed it's not like he was trying to break a _sa'an'ishar_ formation. Taking a deep breath, he held his axe in his right and one of the iron daggers in his left. With grim resolve he burst into motion and charged the gate as fast as he could. He called upon the last bit of power from his cloak and he disappeared from mortal sight.

As he rushed forwards with the humans still on guard, he drew back his left hand and threw the dagger at one of the human guards. The blade spun in an arc and it struck a man in his throat, the humans looked to their companion in shock and they did not have time to register that Khorieus was now upon them.

With a swift swipe of his axe he cut a man's left leg off from the thigh and he severed another man's neck before the first two even hit the ground. He sprinted forwards and dodged a sword blow, he heard one of the guards call to alarm and he saw the gates began to close. Leaping forwards through the opening, he rolled onto the stone floor and down two steps before settling upon a brown and yellow carpeted floor.

He felt the sudden impact of a crossbow bolt upon his armored back and the footsteps of a guard charging towards him. Swiftly rising up to his feet, he blocked the guardsman's sword with his left gauntlet, its elegant runes flashed brightly and the High Elf drove the top section of his axe blade up the human's chin and cleaving into the roof of his mouth. Quickly using his left hand, he grabbed the human by the shoulder and shoved the fatally wounded man in front of him; he saw the point of a crossbow bolt burst through the man's throat and spattering the High Elf's face with blood.

Shoving his improvised shield forward and off of his blade, he quickly reached for his hunting knife and hurled it at the crossbowman as he reloaded. The knife struck the guard in his right eye but failed to kill him, he howled in agony as he tried to remove the knife. Dropping his axe and reaching for his bow, Khorieus swiftly pointed his weapon towards the gate where the three remaining human guards were advancing into the building.

With instinct borne of centuries of war, Khorieus swiftly readied an arrow and fired towards one guard who was struck in neck. He then fired another arrow into a second man's heart and then he fired the last one in the belly, he then fired an arrow into the man with the knife in the eye and ending his screams. As the last of the guards fell he stowed away his bow and re-equipping up his axe. He walked towards the still living man he had shot in the belly, the guardsman was now on his knees as he tried to remove the arrow which was likely now causing his intestines to blacken with frostbite.

Grabbing the man by the head, Khorieus forcefully slapped the side of his head on to the flat of the _Ithilmar_ Axe. 'Tell me where the lord of this place is!' he hissed in the common language of this world, he then spoke to his axe and it began to heat up. The human screamed in pain as the super heated metal began to melt the flesh upon his cheek and the smell of cooking pork filled the Chracian's nostrils.

'All right all right! I will tell you!' the man pleaded, Khorieus then pulled the man's head away from the axe he and began to talk

* * *

><p>'Wake up sir!' came the muffled voice another Templar named Wilhelm. Slowly opening his eyes to see a helmeted man, Darius groaned and rose from his bed, while still feeling tired, he certainly felt better for having at least some sleep.<p>

'What is it?' asked Darius groggily

'We've spotted him sir! The Chevalier!' Wilhelm said, Darius eyes opened widely at the mention of the elusive fugitive.

'Are you sure!?' Darius asked with disbelief

'Positive sir!' nodded Wilhelm who handed Darius his helmet 'Three Watchmen reported in all sighting the Chevalier, he is heading to the Arl's estate!'

Why would the Chevalier go to the Arl's estate? Thought Jacob Darius, was he after the Arl himself? Or perhaps was the Arl somehow in league with him? Whatever was the case, he knew that this would end today. Putting on his helmet and making sure his armor was secure, he ordered Wilhelm to make ready. The Templar left his quarters and made his way to the chapter house's armory, when the first reports came in of the Chevalier having some sort of enchanted armor; Darius had requisitioned some of the chapter house's more powerful weapons to be available.

Walking through the stone hallways, he made it to the armor where he saw Elena standing in front of it. She too was clad in the armor of the Templar and in her hand she carried a sword wrapped in silken cloth. Elena handed him the sword and the Darius thanked her, he began to reverently unwrap the cloth to reveal a Burgundy long sword made from Dragon Bone.

'Sigismund's Legacy' Darius muttered reverently as he looked upon the blessed sword which was carved with tiny litanies and prayers. As the tales go, Sigismund was a Templar from the Anderfels who fought in the wars against the Qunari. It was said that with this sword he killed more of the horned pagans than any man could, and that champions and generals of their kind were slain by it.

When the war was over, Sigismund had sustained many grave injuries which left him unable to properly serve the Chantry's militant arm. Thus he gave the sword to his second in command, a Fereldan born Templar named Ricard. He remembered also hearing some scandalous rumors from Sigismund's time that the great Templar and his second in command were more than just brother's in arms, but something closer, of course Darius himself believed it was nothing more than just slanderous lies.

Brushing his gauntleted fingers over it, Darius gripped the hilt of the sword, he felt the rush of power as the sword's enchantments imbued his physical strength and if the stories were true, it would be capable of cleaving through the heaviest of armor. The sword gave off a soft cerulean glow, yes he thought. Today would be the day where he would finally bring the Maker's justice to the murderer of Finnick, Marik, Desmond, Russel and Bernard.

Looking to Elena who had already put on her helmet, he saw her dwarf forged sword burn with fire as the runes upon it gave the sword power. Nodding to his old comrade they were ready to avenge the dead and finally deliver justice.

* * *

><p>Roaring a prayer to the bloody handed god, Khorieus decapitated a man whose head flew up and his neck sprayed gore all over those around him. The Chracian was spattered, from helmet to boots in blood, he fought his way past nearly two dozen guardsmen, many of whom wore hastily equipped suits of chainmail armor. He kicked a lunging hound from under its jaw and he buried his axe into its spine. Already the wide hallway was filled with the bloodied corpses of the men and hounds who tried to stop him.<p>

After a week without proper battles, Khorieus felt this slaughter to be cathartic. He ducked under the swing of a great sword and he picked up a severed arm from the wrist, he then rose up and smacked the human over the side of his head with the limb. As the man staggered, Khorieus buried his axe into the right side of the man's ribcage, the Chracian then shouted the command word and it ignited within the man who screamed in agony.

Still armed with the severed arm, Khorieus felt the impact of an arrow striking the back of his helmet. He balefully glared at the human archer who had shot him. The man was terrified and he desperately began going for another arrow; the High Elf had left his knife lodged into a previous opponent's skull and the last iron dagger in a hound's chest. Not having time to get his bow, he swiftly dropped the arm and bent down to picked up a severed head, his gauntleted hand held it by the mouth and chin. With a feral roar he threw the severed head at the archer who looked upon the head with horror as it flew towards him, the head struck the man on the chest and he was staggered by it.

Khorieus ripped his burning axe from the chest of the other man who was now dead and he rushed the archer. By the time the archer recovered Khorieus was already upon him, with a mighty overhead chop of his axe he split the man in half from skull to groin. As the archer fell in two, the Chracian surveyed the area and noted with satisfaction that it was now clear. At the end of the hall behind him, there was a hound statue and two doors, one going left and the other going right.

He had seen an armored man come out of the one on the left earlier and he guessed that was where the human lord was. Moving across to the end with the hound statue, he pulled the knife out of the back of a dead man's skull and he held in he left hand. He then entered a room which was decorated with several wooden portraits; ahead of him was the door which probably led to the lord's quarters.

Flicking away the blood from his knife, he sheathed it and placed his left hand upon the door's handle. When he opened the door he found three brightly dressed men armed with swords, one carried a shield as well, all of them were in defensive stances and each looked liked they had been waiting for him. The three humans carried themselves with the well-practiced stances of disciplined fighters.

He quickly spotted in the corner the red-haired maiden Shianni whose face was bruised as she crossed her arms over her bare breasts. The human lord, a well fed looking man armed with two blades demanded to know who Khorieus was while his men readied themselves for an attack. Hatred and Loathing to these men boiled up as it mixed with his rage.

'I am Khorieus Alatanrieth!' he shouted in Eltharin with all of his hate 'And you will be bettered by death you waste!'

Charging with blinding speed and with his blazing axe trailing behind him, he swept his weapon in a side-way arc and he cleaved one of the men wielding a sword and dagger from hip to hip. He swiftly backhanded the human lord with his gauntleted left fist and he used it to grab the sword arm of the man with the shield.

With a swift twist of the man's sword arm, he broke the limb and buried is axe under the shield man's right arm pit. His blade cut deeply into the man's chest and he screamed in pain and Khorieus proceeded to let go of his axe. His hand quickly went around the man's head with his left hand under the shield man's chin and his right behind the man's head. With a strong twist he silenced the man with a loud snap of his neck.

He then looked to the lord who spat out a bloody tooth, the man looked to the _Asur_ with a mix of terror and rage and he was about say something before the Chracian delivered a swift thrust of his right boot into the man's chest. The human lord's head cracked against one of the posts of the large bed. Khorieus swiftly went to the man and used his right hand to grab the human by his shirt and the High Elf began to continuously punch the man's face until blood matted his entire left gauntlet. As the man groaned in pain, barely conscious and with his face a bloody ruin, Khorieus let go of the lord and he went to Shianni who looked to him with a mixture of terror and relief.

Kneeling down in front of the maiden who looked up to him with eyes which were ready to burst with tears, Khorieus removed his cloak and he wrapped it around her slender shoulders.

'It's all right _mornah_' he gently said as he tried to calm her 'you're safe now'

'You killed them, didn't you?' she asked fearfully and yet with a tinge of relief 'You killed them all.'

'Not all' Khorieus coldly said who then looked to the lord, his hand reached for his knife and he unsheathed it.

Pulling the knife out, he offered her its hilt and nodded with a dark look upon his face. All the fear disappeared from Shianni's face, it was replaced by a quiet and cold anger, she nodded in understanding as she took his knife.

* * *

><p>Rising up with the help of Khorieus, Shianni went towards Vaughan Urien. She knelt down in front of the severely beaten man who barely registered her in his pain. Already the human lord's face was bruised and bloodied, several teeth were missing and his eyes had swollen up, it satisfied her to see the bastard so. Shianni placed her lips near the man's ears and she spoke with a very deep level of hate.<p>

'I told you that if you touch me' she said as she plunged the knife into the man's belly bellow the button and she slowly sawed the hunting knife up to his ribs 'I will gut you like a pig'.

She twisted the knife and she slowly sawed the blade through to the man's left side under his heart. When she removed the bloody blade from the man she turned back to see Khorieus who gave her a look of approval, she then returned the knife to the warrior, she had found that it was surprisingly as light as it was beautiful.

'Did they violate you?' asked the warrior with concern as he wiped the blood off of the blade with the white sheets upon the bed. He then turned to her and offered the thick green outer layer of the blanket.

'They only just roughed me up' she sincerely said with a bruised smile as she took the sheets in her hands 'Thanks to you'.

* * *

><p>Blood, there was so much blood thought Soris. He and Nelaros had entered using a servant's entrance a friend who worked at the estate had shown them. When they arrived they found most of the soldiers had left their posts and the servants were fleeing in terror, it must have been Khorieus he thought. The two of them were currently armed with weapons they scavenged from the dead guards.<p>

They were rather shocked to see all the blood and bodies, all whom were armed guards, and many seemed to have been killed in very brutal ways. Nelaros had questioned exactly who Khorieus was; Soris himself could not really give Nelaros a concrete answer. It was not as if he actually even knew for he had only met the strange foreign warrior on a few occasions at the insistence of Kallian of whom had taken a liking to him. Each time he had met the warrior it left his body sore from trying to block and dodge the warrior's attacks.

They earlier passed by a few servants who pointed them to where soldiers went and then they found the trail of bodies which ended at a hall with a mabari statue at the end. As they were about to check if that was where the women were, they saw Khorieus walk out with his axe held at the ready. He was completely matted in blood and behind him was Shianni who was covering herself with a thick green blanket. Calling to his cousin, Soris and Nelaros went up to the two; the warrior looked down to them and nodded before he went ahead.

'What in the Maker's name happened?' asked Soris 'Where is Kallian, Valora and the others?'

'I am fine' Shianni said 'Come on! I know where the others are'.

They quietly made their way over the bodies and back to the kitchen where the body of the cook still laid there after one of the servants stabbed him in the back. Soris couldn't quite believe how they missed this when they went in. Opening the door they heard the repeated prayers of Nola who along with the other women looked to Soris, Nelaros and Shianni with relief. Soris noted Kallian lying down upon the floor; he was alarmed for a moment, but was assured by Valora that she was still passed out.

Soris and Nelaros original plan was to find Kallian and hand her the equipment she had stashed in her house. But when they heard all the shouting and screaming they thought that perhaps she managed to get away already and was fighting towards the Arl. Nelaros then knelt down beside Kallian and was about to pick her up before she groaned and began to awaken.

* * *

><p>'Are you all right?' came the familiar voice of Nelaros. Slowly opening her eyes, Kallian saw her betrothed's handsome face.<p>

'Nelaros?' she asked before noticing Shianni whose face was bruised and Soris as well, she also noted how the two were equipped in bloodied chain armor. 'What's going on?' was all she could say.

'It was Khorieus' Shianni said with a mix of gratitude and reverence 'he killed Vaughan and his men'

'All of them I might add' said Nelaros. Kallian then noted the massive warrior walking through the door way, all eyes turned to him and they all saw the blood which spattered over his armor.

'I guess I owe you again huh?' Kallian said with a weak smile towards the warrior

'You owe me nothing, _mornah_' Khorieus then said, he then looked to Nelaros and he looked back to her with a faint grin and asked 'you still have the hair?'

Kallian then reached into a pocket on the side of her dress, she removed the silky silvery white strand and showed it to him. Khorieus nodded and asked for Soris to bind Nelaros and Kallian's hands together with it. Doing as he was told, Soris tied the hands of Kallian and her betrothed

Khorieus then began to say again in a reverent tone '_Saroir_, May the flame of your love, last for eternity. May it burn all those who wish to break it.'

The group of elves entered the kitchen and quickly made their way to the servant's entrance. Khorieus led them for a few steps until he suddenly stopped and told them in a very authoritative tone to go back to the Alienage. As the warrior dashed into what looked to be a mess hall, they heard the barkings of Mabari in the distance. The barking was followed by a loud roar and then they were replaced by pitiful whines and the sounds of men shouting and dying.

'What's he doing?' asked one of the bridesmaids fearfully

'Buying us time' Kallian said she then looked to Soris 'He can't do this alone! Give me what weapons and armor you found!'

'What are you going to do cousin?' asked Soris worriedly

'Paying my debts' Kallian then said

* * *

><p>'Form up Templars!' commanded Jacob Darius as he stood outside the Arl's Estate. A large group of over twenty men and women, each wearing a full set of steel plate armor and bearing a mix of swords, maces, war axes and shields formed into a phalanx formation with Darius at their head. The mage girl Olivia was also there to provide magical support. Already several watchmen and soldiers from the garrison had entered the Estate.<p>

As one the Templars advanced with their weapons raised. In the courtyard there were two dead bodies of the Arl's men and they could see another two at the doorway. A man who had been missing a leg had managed to crawl away and was carried away by the Watch to seek the attentions of a healer. As they closed in they finally saw their target.

The Chevalier thought Darius with rage and curiosity as well; from the range at which he saw the fugitive he could tell that their target was no true Chevalier. Their target had no heraldry or noticeable decorations or symbols from Orlais, the armor itself was of a strange, elegant design he had never seen before. He saw that the fugitive was matted in gore and in his hands he carried a curved bow of white wood which was decorated with silver filigree.

'In the name of the Prophet Andraste!' shouted Darius 'Stand down and meet justice' the fugitive responded by firing an arrow which struck a man to his left straight into the visor of his helmet. The man fell dead and he saw another arrow fly towards them and it killed Wilhelm who stood beside him to the right.

'Forward!' Darius shouted and the Templars picked up their pace. The Fugitive fired another shot which also struck a Templar in the visor, their foe then quickly ran off into the building's interior. The Templars gave chase through its halls and corridors which were filled with the blood and bodies of the Arl's men as well as the members of the City Watch and the military garrison who arrived ahead of them.

As the Templars gave chase, they were somewhat slowed down by their plate armor and they had to avoid tripping over the bodies, while the one they were after moved swiftly in his own. Raising his shield, Darius barely managed to block an arrow which embedded into his wooden shield and would have struck him in the visor. Whoever their foe was; he was also damn good shot with a bow.

The Fugitive continued to run away and shoot at them with his bow like a Dalish Ranger. Each shot either struck down a Templar or had to be blocked, but none had flown wide.

'Cast Haste on us!' the Templar commanded the mage

'I can't!' replied the girl 'I don't have that spell yet!'

The Templar cursed and realized that they will need to corner their foe. He heard words of power coming from the mage who then caused a pool of grease to appear under their foe, the fugitive nearly slipped but managed to regain his footing.

Maker's Breath! He thought with alarm, if they couldn't find a way to slow him down, that bastard is going to just shoot us all!

* * *

><p>Kallian was surprised that her cousin, Soris had brought the equipment Khorieus had given her a few days ago. When she had finished putting on the studded leather armor and equipping the two enchanted red steel daggers and the crossbow, she commanded her kin and friends to leave. Soris and Nelaros were forced to abandon the weapons and armor they scavenged and put on some normal clothes while Kallian herself had given her wedding dress to Shianni so they could pretend to be fleeing servants.<p>

Her betrothed insisted that he stay and help her or go back with them, but Kallian would have none of it and she managed to persuade him to leave. When they had left, Kallian made sure her crossbow was loaded and she quietly tried to find Khorieus. She heard the sound of several men shouting and the clatter of plate armor as she came to what she guessed was the main entrance to the estate.

She saw the backs of plate armored knight she recognized with surprise were Templars. Why would Templars be after Khorieus she thought? Did he lie about being a mage, but actually was one? No she refused to believe it, there must be some sort of misunderstanding. On the way to the main entrance she saw several bodies of both men and mabari, she never realized just how dangerous Khorieus could be to be able to kill so many.

She passed by the body of a man whose face was horribly burnt and made her feel disgusted for it smelled like roast pork. Trying to move as quietly as possible, she was able to get behind the group of Templars which were chasing Khorieus within a wide hall, she saw that among them there was a dark-skinned, blue robed human girl who looked to be around Kallian's age, a mage she realized with trepidation.

The mage held up her staff and fired a bolt of white fire towards Khorieus, she saw the bolt strike against him but it hardly seemed to affect him. Another Templar fell and Kallian made a quick head count and she guessed that there were at least twelve of the Templars left. Quickly raising her crossbow, she took aim at the mage who was surrounded by shimmering orb of light, holding her breath she closed one eye over the crossbow's sight and she pulled the trigger.

The recoil of the crossbow struck against her right shoulder pad and she saw the bolt fly towards the mage. The bolt struck the mage in the back and to Kallian's surprise, did not fall; the mage then turned to her and began chanting words of power.

'Oh come on!' Kallian hissed as she leapt to the wall to her left and her back slammed painfully against it.

'What are you doing you blasphemer!?' shouted the mage woman 'don't you know you are interfering with Chantry business!?'

'Is that so!?' Kallian shouted back while reloading her crossbow 'I thought this was the queen's ball with cake and all!' she then moved back to the entrance of the doorway and fired again, her shot went wide and she hissed a profanity

'Well the cake was a lie!' the mage woman shouted and she cast something which made Kallian's suddenly feel so very cold and with needles piercing her skin, it felt as if she were submerged into the Drakon River during winter.

She heard the mage begin casting another spell as she tried to reload but she just could not seem to get the mechanism right. As the mage finished casting, Kallian suddenly began to feel weak as if she had not eaten in days, the pain from her muscles which she had felt earlier this morning had come back in full force. Having managed to reload, she tried to lift up her crossbow and through sheer for of will tried to keep her aim steady, but the mere act of lifting her weapon became highly agonizing.

'Surrender and submit to the Maker's Justice!' shouted the Mage.

* * *

><p>As another human fell with the last of his arrows into the visor, Khorieus now counted ten of them remaining. Switching to his axe, he moved into a defensive stance and tried to think of a plan. They were now in the dining room again and the Templars began to spread out trying to flank him. Khorieus quickly weighed his options, trying to bottleneck the Templars would be a poor idea as he was familiar with shield tactics like this and he needed to be able to flank them. He needed to find better ground to fight upon and deny them their advantage in numbers.<p>

He noted at least four of the Templars were armed with enchanted weapons, one had a silver sword which blazed with fire, and another had a burgundy colored sword which glowed with a cerulean light. There was also a one carrying a silver axe which sparked with lightning and another who wielded a red mace which was covered in ice. These he would have to avoid or kill later, he dashed towards his right and a number of the Templars began to close in with a semi-circular formation.

Khorieus charged towards the Templar at the east end of the formation, the Templar thrust his sword forwards. The High Elf spun around it at the last moment as the sword grazed the left side of his armored hip. He roared the command word of his axe and the weapon ignited in white fire as it was swung along with the Chracian, it struck the Templar in the back of his head and the High Elf heard the screech of metal as his blade cut through the steel helmet and into the man's skull.

Quickly kicking the body towards the nearest Templar and freeing his axe, he parried the attack of the one wielding the frozen mace and ran past the long dining table. He saw some of the Templars on the other end of the formation break off and try to go to the north end while the ones closest to him were on the south end. With the area ahead of him clear he ran back towards the hall which led to the main entrance.

Another Templar, the one equipped with the flaming sword managed to get to the north end and smashed Khorieus from the side with his shield. The impact of it knocked the High Elf to the stone wall, and he grunted with pain as he struck it. Swiftly recovering he raised his left armored forearm in time to block a side way slash from the Templar's sword, the blade bit into his armor and he roared in pain as the fires began to super-heat the armor and begin to cook the flesh underneath.

With his right hand still gripping his axe he slammed his burning weapon into the Templar's side and he heard a woman's voice shout from under the helmet. Trying to ignore the pain as best he could, he pulled his axe out as well as his forearm from the burning sword's edge. He did not have time to finish off the Templar for the one with the burgundy colored sword was already upon him.

The Templar brought his sword down in a diagonal swing, Khorieus leapt and rolled forwards to the doorway, his shoulder impacted against the wooden door frame but he recovered quickly enough to make it into the hall. Glancing back he saw the Templars were already in pursuit, ahead of him he saw the mage sitting with her back to the wall and trying to pull out a crossbow bolt lodged into her right shoulder, there was also another bolt in her left hip. At the doorway across the hall, he saw Kallian curled up in a fetal position.

With all thoughts of the Templars evaporating from his mind, he ran towards her. Swiftly crossing the bloody hallway while sheathing his axe and dispelling its fire. He made it to Kallian's body and was relieved that he could still see that she was breathing. Picking up her crossbow and a bolt from her quiver, he swiftly reloaded the crossbow and aimed it at the hall.

One of the Templars spotted the crossbow and ordered for his comrades to raise their shields and they began to advance more cautiously. Not having a clear lethal shot available he shifted his target to the prone mage and he fired. Khorieus quickly set the crossbow down and picked up Kallian's body, he placed her on his left shoulder and retrieved the crossbow with his right. Looking back to hall he saw that the Templars were nearly three steps away, with a muttered curse he ran towards the courtyard of the Estate.

* * *

><p>Roaring loudly and spitting several profanities under his helmet, Darius watched as their target ran out of the Estate with inhuman speed. He swiftly took off his helmet and he threw it to the bloody floor. Never had he seen anyone move so fast despite wearing all that armor, he was furious that he had lost eleven more of his brothers and sisters to that monster, and the mage as well. This would have made the fugitive's death toll a total of seventeen (of those affiliated with the Templar Order) by today, much more if he counted the Arl's men, the Watchmen, mabari and the military garrison.<p>

Maker's Breath, he thought. What were they dealing with here? It was just impossible to think that a single man could kill so many in such a short period of time. He had gotten a look at the fugitive's pale skinned and angular face with almond-shaped icy blue eyes which almost reminded him of an elf. The fugitive couldn't possibly be an elf, he thought, they don't grow that tall or broad. Whatever they were dealing with, it clearly was not human and certainly not a Blood Mage, for their fugitive did not use and spells or magic he recognized.

Growling with his frustration rising even higher, he looked to his comrades and he was glad that Elena still lived but was wounded by the fugitive's axe, he also felt somewhat saddened by the death of the Mage, Olivia. They had found a bolt in the side of her neck and it was quickly obvious that she was dead; he even started to like the mage.

'Should we pursue sir?' Asked one of the Templars named Brant who wielded an axe which sparked with lightning.

'Yes' said Darius with a mix of anger and weariness 'Send word to the Knight-Commander that I request for more men and support from the Circle to assist in the capture of the fugitive.'

'Yes sir!' salute Brant sharply.

'Sir!' shouted the voice of a woman named Margaret 'We found the Arl's son, he's dead along with two other nobles'

Punching the stone wall to his right with a shout, he felt the stone crack and pain shot up his arm as he had likely broken some of his finger bones. With the addition of the Arl's son and the nobles along with all the men and women who died today, he was sure that the death count from this one murderer was more than five dozen from today alone.

They would need to lockdown the city so no one gets in or out, he would need to make sure that wanted posters are set up as well so that mercenaries, bounty hunters and adventurers would join the hunt. He saw that the fugitive carried someone, a thin pale skinned woman, was it that elf thief he heard about? It suddenly dawned on Darius that for all this time there was one place they did not look, the one place no lawman would bother to look for a criminal they thought at first was a man. The Alienage…

* * *

><p>Feeling a comfortingly familiar warm sensation, Kallian's vision cleared as the cold and the weakness caused by the mage began to dissipate, this is just not my day she thought. As her vision cleared she found herself in an abandoned looking slum house no bigger than her own. She saw Khorieus sitting across her with his back to the wall; he had removed his gauntlets and was smearing a red healing poultice upon his left forearm. Khorieus hissed with pain, she saw that his pale skin was burnt as if it had remained in contact with a hot stove for a long time.<p>

'You are supposed to drink it you know' Kallian said while breaking the silence and he looked to her with an angry look.

'Why did you follow me?' he asked with an accusatory tone, she could see the cold anger in his eyes 'I told you to go back to the Alienage!'

'I am not a child you know!' she snapped back 'I can take care of myself! I got that mage didn't I?'

'You put yourself in unnecessary danger' he replied angrily

'I was trying, to help you!' Kallian said furiously

'I did not need your help!' he almost shouted 'You have no idea what I am capable of! The things I have fought against for centuries in my world!' she was about to retort something but she saw him wearily sigh first and he continued in a tired and almost sad tone

'You have a family and a life here' he said 'do not throw away what you have'

Kallian looked down mollified, she still had her father, her cousins and she had a husband now. She too sighed wearily and said 'I owed you… for helping me that night, and twice more now from today'.

Looking back to Khorieus, she saw him imbibe the remaining poultice and he began running his right index and middle fingers over the ones he had smeared over his forearm and placing the herbal concoction upon his tongue.

'I know _mornah_' he said in an apologetic tone 'but you already repaid it by granting me shelter and knowledge of your language.' Not knowing what else to say, silence passed between them. Kallian looked to the grimy window of the slum house, it must have been early afternoon she thought. So much had happened in just one morning, looking back to Khorieus, she saw him putting his gauntlets back on.

'Why were those Templars after you?' she asked 'I thought you were not a mage'

'I am not' Khorieus replied 'On the night we met, I was attacked by four Templars'

'But, why?' she questioned again

'I have no idea' Khorieus said 'In my world there is a group of humans who have a similar occupation.' He then continued with distaste 'There methods are crude and questionable; they are quick to put the innocent to the sword in their search for the guilty.'

'You sound like you know a lot about how Templars work' Kallian noted, she wondered if this was a chance for her to learn more about the strange foreigner.

'I was one once… so to speak' Khorieus said nostalgically before shaking his head and looking back at her 'A long tale though, for now we should focus on a current course of action'

'We can lay low' Kallian suggested 'it won't be the first time I'd have to do it'

'It may not be the best of choices' Khorieus nodded 'those Templars may have seen you, and if they did, they will search for you as well and you will be placing your kin in danger'

'I know how to stay out of sight' she reminded him

'And what if they use hounds or magic to search for you?' Khorieus pointed out, he then grunted and began to speak in a low frustrated tone 'I think the best thing for you now will be to leave the city'

'Leave the City?' Kallian asked incredulously 'What about my father or my husband? I have never even been outside Denerim! Where would I even go?'

'That choice is yours _mornah_' Khorieus said 'I still must go west to the Mage Tower and try to find my way home'

Kallian just did not know what to say when she remembered that he was leaving. She sat there in silence as the enormity of what happened just hit her. She was now in the company of someone who is wanted by Templars, and soon would be from the Arling. And if it was true that the Templar may have seen her then she too might be branded for aiding a wanted criminal. If that happened then the safest place for her would be with someone as deadly as Khorieus.

There was also the possibility that the Templars did not get a good look at her, and that she could simply just lie low and get on with her life. There were so many uncertainties and questions which just frustrated her. Sitting there in silence with who was likely the most dangerous person she had ever met, Kallian just didn't know what to do next.


	4. Sethai

Within the darkness of a cave amidst the sandy dunes, a crone sat cross-legged as she moved her pieces upon the board. Her opponent was a raven with feathers which constantly shifted shape and color, sometimes it wore the form of a man, sometimes it wore the form of a beast, or a mix. Sometimes it was as small as her hands and sometimes was larger than even she. The raven which was for now, just a simple bird had moved another piece with its beak and it patiently awaited its turn, the crone moved another piece in the great game they played.

As the raven which now changed its feathers to a variety of red shades finished its next turn, the crone was ready to move one of her other pieces, she noted that a few were missing; she could have sworn that they were there in her last turn. With a shrug, the crone moved a different piece; it would not be the first time one of her pieces mysteriously disappeared when she played against the raven. It was inconsequential anyway, the loss of those pieces, she still had so many more. Besides, the crone still had many tricks to play, ones which even the raven could not see.

* * *

><p><strong>ACT II: WILDE JAGD<strong>

* * *

><p>'Sorry elf, but no one is getting in and out of the Alienage' sternly said the garrison sergeant as his arms were crossed.<p>

Behind him were four other men, each one wearing a full set of steel heavy chain armor which bore a single large pauldron, each man wore a pointy steel soldier's helmet with a visor which concealed most of the upper part of the face, and leaving the man's lower jaw and eyes exposed. The soldiers were also accompanied by a pair of Mabari who eyed her warily

'But I need to get home! Where will I stay for the night?' Kallian begged as she tried to sound as pitiful as she could while giving the man big pleading eyes.

She was currently dressed in a light brown dress which had "acquired" after noticing that, said clothes were left hanging out upon a clothing line and left to dry, it was actually a bit too big for her. At the least she would look like any other elf returning from work, she had left her weapons and armor in the care of Khorieus, who still rested at the slum house in the Poor Quarter.

Standing at Alienage's south gate, Kallian as well as a five other elves of whom had been out of the Alienage on their own affairs before the soldiers came and began barring people from entering. She was glad that none of the soldiers seemed to recognize her; it gave her hope that perhaps she could lie low and wait for the search to die down. The other elves around her were complaining or begging to the guards to let them in, their pleas were much like Kallian's and just like hers, it went ignored.

'No one gets in or out!' the garrison sergeant said more loudly with a clear edge of threat, she saw that the man was slowly reaching for his mace and the men around him soon followed while their mabaris began growling loudly.

Kallian was forced to back away and the crowd of elves did so as well, they muttered to each other, several profanities and angry words to the guards.

At first many of the other elves had been relieved to see Kallian, they asked her what happened (away from the ears of the soldiers of course) at the Arl's Estate for it was only this morning that her wedding had been ruined. Kallian of course answered as truthfully as she could, but left out certain details to the other elves, specifically regarding her run in with the Templars and the name of Khorieus. She told them about how she came to with Soris and Nelaros to rescue them, Kallian also told them that it was a stranger who saved them all, and that it was the stranger who had killed the Arl's son.

Kallian herself was relieved to hear from the other elves that her two cousins, husband and friends made it back to the Alienage safely. One of the elves stuck outside with her, a friend of Soris named Taeodor of whom she had spoken to earlier, said that the returning elves told them all that it was thanks to the "Silverite Knight" (as the Alienage elves had quickly begun calling Khorieus for they did not know his name) of whom as far as Kallian was aware, only her family, the Elder and Alarith knew of. The veracity of the stories was quickly supported by the accounts of the elven servants who had been working at the Estate but had fled during the assault of Khorieus.

It seemed that stories which were beginning to spread in the Alienage, stories of a mysterious knight in silverite armor and a white fur cloak, the one the City Watch had been begun chasing, was the savior of the bridesmaids and becoming a hero of sorts to the elves of the Alienage. No doubt by tomorrow the stories will involve the "Silverite Knight" shooting lightning bolts from his eyes, being twelve feet tall and various other exaggerated feats.

With no way into the Alienage for now, Kallian guessed that she should head back to the Slum House. Looking to Taeodor she asked him to please pass the message to her family that she herself was all right, to which of course he agreed to. As Kallian turned away and left, he called to her and asked where she was going, Kallian looked back to him and replied.

'It's not like we are getting in anytime soon' she said with a shrug as she looked to the others 'No point in standing around as well so, I should go' she added before running off to the slum house in the Poor Quarter.

* * *

><p>Khorieus knelt down upon the creaking wooden floor boards of the abandoned house; he was alone inside the structure as Kallian had left on some personal errand. The grimy window provided the only light into the building. His eyes were closed as he whispered a mantra with his axe upon his lap; it was similar to the meditative techniques used by the Swordmasters of Hoeth. Although the burns he had received during the fight at the estate still stung, the medicinal "poultice" he had drunk as well as the power of his amulet which currently worked its magic, had left the burn as nothing but an annoyance. With his eyes closed and his mind cleared, his other senses were soon heightened like that of the blind.<p>

He could hear the faint bustle of life outside the dilapidated structure where he had interrogated a man a few days earlier. His sense of smell heightened as he could smell the rot and stink from the city but also the musty decay of wood and the faint lingering smell of blood from the basement as well as the fresh blood upon his own armor which he did not yet have the proper time to clean. After the battle from earlier this morning at the Estate, he truly needed this moment for now was not the time to charge headlong into the fray, it was a time for silence and shadows.

While Kallian's idea to lay low and hide until the efforts of the local guardsman lessened was a sound one, it would be more difficult for the Chracian to follow. Unlike Kallian who could easily blend in with the crowds with a simple change of clothes, Khorieus himself was more noticeable. The magic upon his Lion Cloak was depleted and would need more time to recover, without it he would be unable to conceal himself from mortal sight. It seemed that for now, he would need to find a better place to hide and remain unnoticed; it was good that at the least he had stocked up on supplies during the last few days.

He quietly continued his meditation for several minutes, his breath was calm and steady from the exercise. As minutes passed he heard the distant but faint barking of hounds, it was the now familiarly deep sound of the attack breed of hounds the people of this world seemed to favor. His eyes slowly opened, a look of grim determination came upon his face, his gauntleted hands tightened around the shaft of his axe.

He heard the barking come closer to his position and he could hear the jingling of chain armor. Rising up and shouldering his loaded pack which now also contained Kallian's belongings, the High Elf moved away from window and surveyed the house to find a place where he could conceal himself in the shadows. Invoking the name of the Pale Queen, there was none to be found, if these guardsmen looked through the window, then they would most definitely see him. Well, so much for trying to stay hidden, he thought.

Shifting to an aggressive stance, watched the window as for any passing. His breathing remained controlled and steady, he heard the voices of men talking in the common language of this world.

'What is it boy?' came the muffled voice of one man outside, his movements were followed by the jingling of mail links. Khorieus then heard the loud sound of barking from the hound and the beast began scratching at the wooden door.

'Sir!' the man outside shouted 'I think we found him!'

Keeping his silence and now watching the door, he heard the barking, steps and jingling of several more men advance towards the front door, he saw three armored men clad in a different type of chain mail which seemed to be of a heavier variant pass by the window and one man looked inside.

The guardsman caught sight of Khorieus in his blood stained armor and shouted 'It's him sir! the fugitive is here!'

As the wooden door which did not have lock quickly swung open, a trio of barking hounds came charging through, and they were followed by several armored men. Already roaring prayer to Khaine, with his axe held low Khorieus knew that surrendering and capture was out of the question, it would only end either in death or glory.

* * *

><p>Standing under the bough of the great tree within the Alienage, Templar Jacob Darius watched with steely eyes and arms crossed as his remaining Templars and the soldiers from the local garrison searched the ghetto for the fugitive in silverite who was now wanted with the murder of the Arl's son added to his black deeds. Frustrated that after more than an hour of searching, they found nothing, the mabaris they brought had sniffed out the scent of the fugitive thanks to some of the strange arrows they had recovered; they followed the scent to a house where an old elf claimed that he knew nothing.<p>

Although Darius could not quite believe the owner, one Cyrion Tabris, they did not find any hard evidence to convict the old elf of aiding a criminal. Even in hard times like this, Darius was not the kind of man to allow his anger to get the better of his judgment; he would not have someone innocent of a crime executed or jailed until he sure of their guilt. He had asked the other elves in the Alienage about the fugitive, many claimed to only have seen him today and he went off without causing an incident.

Either these elves were lying or perhaps the fugitive did have some sort of magic with him. It was possible that even if the fugitive was not a mage, he might have some ensorcelled artifacts which would conceal him from sight or that he could affect the minds of others in a similar manner as how Blood Mages could control people. It was possible, for the Templar had dealt with apostates and demons in the past that could use such powers and it was not much of stretch that such power could be placed into objects.

Leading their search was Elena who seemed to have recovered fairly well thanks to the poultices they had given her. She questioned the elves as well, but somehow they seemed more inclined to talk to her than the rest of the Templars or the garrison. He supposed that he should be glad that she somehow had a way with words when it came to non-humans and that no violence had come during their investigation.

After hearing the testimonies of the elves a clear picture of what happened came into Darius head. It seemed that two weddings were taking place this morning of which was confirmed by a Mother Boann at the local chapel at the Market District. It was interrupted by Lord Vaughan and his fellows; they left and came back later with armed guards to abduct the brides-to-be and the bridesmaids.

Disgust welled up in the Templar, he had heard some vile stories as well about the Arl's son, but he was a Templar, it would only be under his jurisdiction if the Arl's son was hiding the presence of a Maleficar or if he himself had shown any magical abilities. The knowledge of what had happened had visibly angered Elena who said that it was because of people in power like Vaughan, relations between men and elves would often remain fractious.

He did not entirely share Elena's sympathies for the elves who seemed to spawn too many beggars or thieves in the cities or were nothing more than apostate harboring highwaymen in the wilds. Still there were more than a few he had met who were decent enough and not entirely of a bad sort who lived pious and honest lives. He quickly reminded himself that what mattered now anyway was that the death of Arl's son which could not go unpunished, justice was need to be met and the law upheld.

Interestingly they had also encountered the elves who were abducted by the Arl's son within the Alienage. According to their testimonies, they had escaped in the confusion of the fugitive's assault, none of them claimed to have seen anyone working with the fugitive. While Darius did not quite believe their story and wanted to press further questions, he was halted by Elena who felt that they were too traumatized to be reliable witnesses. He felt her sympathy for them might be getting in the way of the investigation.

Darius was curious though as of why this fugitive would attack the Arl's Estate? Was he some sort of elf-blooded vigilante? No that did not seem right, he had seen what resulted from such mixed race relations and found the off-spring to physically be no different from other humans. Was it possible that the fugitive had some prior vendetta with the Arl or his son? Could this have just been a random act of violence?

He had gotten a good look at the fugitive's face earlier and the more he thought about it as he stood within the Alienage, the more he was starting to think the fugitive was an elf. But how was that possible? Could it be that perhaps the fugitive was an elf who was altered with alchemy like the creatures around the Mage Tower in Lake Calenhad? Could it be that this fugitive was some unknown breed of elf they had never encountered? Again, the Templar was flooded with more questions but no answer to who or what they were dealing with.

All the Templar could tell was that they were dealing with someone who was extremely dangerous. He had already requisitioned for more support from the Circle, and the Chantry, soon he hoped that they would be given access to some potent stores of alchemical concoctions and enchanted gear which would greatly aid them in dealing with the fugitive.

* * *

><p>Kallian cautiously walked down the wide muddy streets as she headed back to the slum house. While she did carry a small knife which she concealed next to her right thigh, under her skirt, she would have felt more confident with a proper pair of daggers next to her. She had passed by a few gang members, who made some cat calls to her which she responded with feigned interest and teases of perhaps coming back later. Fortunately the men of that gang just shared a laugh and left her alone.<p>

Hearing a human's scream in the distance, she stopped and realized it was coming from the direction of the slum house.

'Oh Maker's breath' Kallian muttered with alarm and she picked up her pace.

As she ran towards the house, she soon saw a soldier in heavy chain mail armor like the ones guarding the Alienage entrance, he was running towards her, having dropped his weapon and shield.

'Run! He is a madman!' shouted the soldier with panic in his voice, Kallian stepped aside to her right to let the human pass but suddenly heard the distant clack of a crossbow and soon the man jerked as a crossbow bolt was lodged between his shoulders.

For a moment the human stood there trying to grasp the bolt, he then fell down on his knees and ceased to move. Looking to the direction of where the bolt came, sure enough she saw Khorieus spattered in more gore and breathing heavily; a cold and fierce look was upon his face as his bloody axe was held in his right hand and the crossbow he had given her was in his left. Behind him she saw a trail of blood and four dead men outside the slum house along with two mabari.

'Really!?' Kallian said in disbelief with arms raised up 'I leave you for just a moment and you go out and start killing people already!?'

Khorieus calmly straightened up and squared his shoulder, his icy blue eyes regarded her aloofly. He then replied in a neutral tone 'If it is any consolation _mornah_' he said 'they found me first and I was forced to defend myself'

He then tossed the now unloaded crossbow towards Kallian who easily caught it with both her hands. Grunting in annoyance because they should be trying to lay low, she looked around to see if anyone was watching them, she gestured for him to follow her and they went into an alleyway between two other slum houses, she hoped that no one else was watching. Navigating through a maze of pathways and hoping that they would be able to avoid any patrols or gangs, they quietly made it to another abandoned home which was even more dilapidated than the previous one, it was a place Kallian had used a few times in the past after heists.

The house itself probably used to be a two-story home with a collapsed staircase to the second floor and the ceiling on the first had holes where sunlight came in. It was dark and musty and it quite obviously looked as if the place had been untouched for years. The last time Kallian had used the house was two years ago when she had broken into the home of a noble and stolen a few pieces of jewelry and had stashed it underneath the floorboards. It had taken her a few weeks to let the heat die down and find a fence that was willing to purchase the jewels.

Settling inside the house for now, Khorieus set down his axe by the crumbling wall next to the entrance. He then set down his pack and began rummaging through it. Removing and handing her the neatly folded leather armor he had brought to her a few days earlier, he broke the silence and asked 'How goes your search at the Alienage?'

'They're not letting anyone in or out' Kallian said as she took the armor 'I don't think they know that I was with you' she added. 'Could you turn around please? I am going to change' she asked.

Turning his back towards her, Khorieus then replied 'That is good to hear, I suppose there would be no need for you to leave the city after all then'.

'I guess so' Kallian said as she began removing her stolen dress and began putting on the leather armor. She felt a strange tingle again as she put it on, she was really curious as of where Khorieus had gotten it from, especially due to whatever magic it had. Kallian herself had some experience with using magic items, she had stolen more than a few and had noticed its swift effects once worn or held, often such items fetched a high price from the fences.

After changing into her armor which was light and yet had felt quite sturdy, she went to Khorieus who handed her the two daggers which she attached to her belt. Thanking the warrior, he gave her a hint of a smile and went towards a ruined hearth; he knelt down in front of the hearth and placed his axe upon his lap. She heard him whisper softly in his lilting tongue once more and wondered if he was praying, there was something strangely calming about the words he spoke as she tried to listen to it.

Again, Kallian found herself so full of questions of where Khorieus had come from despite their current situation, what was this Ulthuan like? Was it a land ruled by elves like he? The idea seemed to be preposterous to Kallian that there was any place in the world where elves reigned. She had been skeptical at first at his claim about coming from some other world, but after their time together and seeing just how… different he was, she was not quite sure anymore. Taking a seat by the wall to Khorieus right, she quietly listened to his words and felt that perhaps when he was done; it would be a good time to ask as any other.

* * *

><p>'All of them dead?' asked Jacob Darius a bit angrily as he heard the report from a guardsman named William of whom had been one of the first men to alert the Watch, the garrison and the Templars of the fugitive's assault on the Arl's Estate.<p>

The two were currently upon the bridge leading out of the Alienage and towards the Market; he had been on his way to the local chapel to pick up his regular dosage of Lyrium as Elena had volunteered to lead the investigation in the Alienage, after he got midway through the bridge that the guardsman arrived and delivered the report.

'Yes sir!' saluted the guardsman a bit fearfully 'one of the men looked like he had been able to get away but was shot in the back' said the guardsman.

Darius could see it in the eyes of the guardsmen and several of the fresh garrison soldiers; they were telling stories of how this "Chevalier" (as many of them still believed the fugitive was an Orlesian) had killed so many of their men in such a short time. Morale among the garrison and the watch had plummeted and he would not be surprised of desertions of posts would follow by tonight, it would mean anarchy for the streets.

'Have the area searched then, you are dismissed' Darius said with a formal salute.

The guardsman then left and Darius sighed in frustration, the patrol which had been killed were each a professional soldier, while local street gangs were a possibility, he had doubts about that. Already by his totaled estimates that would make the death count little more than hundred men and women dead over a week. Word was already spreading among the populace about the death of the Arl's son and his killer; panic was rising about Orlesian agents and saboteurs seeking to re-invade Ferelden.

Just perfect he thought, not only did they have a dangerous killer on the loose but soon enough it looked like there will be civil unrest and riots breaking out. He was a bit glad that he himself was not Orlesian, because at the rate things were going, any Orlesian would be the target of angry mobs soon. It was not just angry mobs too; the deaths of so many watchmen and soldiers would mean that many criminal gangs would take advantage of the weakness of the guards. While Darius was a Templar and his duty was towards the Chantry and the rooting out of Apostates, he would be hard pressed as well in trying to keep the peace.

Pinching the bridge of his nose with his gauntleted index finger and thumb, he felt as if a greater weight had just been put upon him. He should not have taken that sleeping elixir this morning he thought, he could have acted sooner and been able to catch this fugitive. He thought of the mage girl, Olivia, he had begun taking a liking to the girl, which was a rare thing for him to feel towards a mage, and then she was dead.

His anger and hate towards the fugitive, this "Chevalier" or whatever people wish to call him was such that he could not even find the words to describe it. Sighing again and keeping his composure, he carried on towards the chapel at the Market, how odd it was that a mere two days earlier; he had been praying there and waiting for Bernard Marquand. There were times he had half-expected to see the man appear out of nowhere and help give them a lead or information. He then remembered the horrid state he had found his old comrade the following morning; he remembered the faces and names of all his brothers and sisters he had lost.

Although he had sworn many times over to bring this murderer to justice, he could not help but quietly renew his vow.

* * *

><p>'Do you think maybe you can tell me now?' Kallian asked as silence filled the abandoned home 'about your homeland?'<p>

'What would you like to know _mornah_?' Khorieus replied coolly with his eyes still closed, he seemed so serene and peaceful now, despite all the blood on him.

Where to begin? Kallian thought. With a shrug she started 'I guess, what is Ulthuan like?' The warrior's eyes slowly opened he fixed her a warm fatherly expression.

'My homeland of Ulthuan lies upon the Great Ocean, between the Old World and the New' he said with a faint hint of nostalgia.

'Old World and New World?' Kallian asked with confusion, what did he mean by between The Old World and the New? Was it some sort of place in the Fade? Voicing her further curiosity, the warrior responded

'It is not a place between the metaphysical if that is what you are asking' Khorieus clarified 'it is a place between two physical continents. To the east of Ulthuan lies _Elthin Arvan_ or the Old World where men, dwarfs and the wayward kin of my people vie for dominance against the savage races. To the west of Ulthuan lies the New world, of Lustria, home to the servants of the Old ones… and Naggaroth.'

Kallian noted the hateful and disquieting tone in his voice as his expression grew more aloof when he mentioned this Naggaroth, its name seemed to send a chill down Kallian's spine, she wondered if it had something to do with the place he had mentioned before called Nagarthye, the Shadowlands.

'What is Naggaroth?' Kallian asked, Khorieus gave her a cold look. His expression was now that of a quite anger, it seemed like something he did not wish to discuss. A tense moment of silence passed and he replied.

'A dark land of cold and cruelty' he said in a foreboding manner 'a place ruled by tyranny and torture, a realm where all of your greatest fears are magnified a thousand fold, the nation of the _Druchii_.'

Kallian could now see the distant but intense cold fury in his visage increased, mixed with the blood which still spattered his armor, she found him to be terrifying. She could see that he was now reminiscing about whatever these _Druchii_ are, she was even more curious to know about them.

She had seen Khorieus when he was furious with battle-lust, he had become like a raging inferno, but now she saw a fundamentally deep-seated hatred she had never seen the like of before. What was it that about these _Druchii_ which could drive one to such hate? She wanted to ask more but felt that perhaps she should save it for another day. Quickly deciding to change the topic, she quickly asked

'What else can you tell me about Ulthuan? About your people?' she said.

Khorieus maintained his cold hard look for a moment, she could see it in his eyes that the hatred briefly intensified and his hands tightly gripped his axe's shaft before loosening and with his expression softening. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply the musty air of the abandoned house before exhaling, as he opened his eyes, he looked to her with a neutral expression once more.

'Ulthuan' he said 'is inhabited by my people, the _Asur_, or the High Elves as we called in foreign tongues, for thousands of years we have ruled our island continent' Kallian could see his mood slightly softening and becoming one which was more reverent.

She imagined a land of magnificent castles inhabited by tall elves like Khorieus, clad in shining white robes and armor like the one he had worn; once more she tried to remember what meager legends she knew of ancient Arlathan when her people were supposedly immortal and powerful.

'The lands of Ulthuan' he continued with gravitas 'are divided into the ten kingdoms, each goverened by the Noble Princes who rule the city states, each Prince, swears fealty to the Phoenix King, the Chosen of Asuryan'

'Which kingdom are you from then?' Kallian asked as more and more questions began to occupy her thoughts.

'I hail from the northern kingdom of Chrace' Khorieus replied 'a land of many mountains and forests where great beasts both natural and monstrous dwell, a land which lives under the constant shadow of war.'

'War against what?' Kallian asked once more, she had a feeling she knew what his answer would be.

'The _Druchii_' he said coldly 'My homeland is the one of the main kingdoms where the _Druchii_ launch their invasions, it is because of them that every _Asur_ from Chrace must spend every moment in preparation for war'.

'Why would you live in such a place then?' Kallian asked, she could not imagine why anyone would want to live somewhere where monsters and war are a constant, she then added 'why not move elsewhere?'

Khorieus then gave her a strange questioning look, his head slightly tilted; she was not sure what he was thinking. 'Because we do what we must, _mornah_' he said with weariness in his voice. 'It is the burden which all of the_ Asur_ must bear, for without our vigil and protection, our world would perish in blood and fire'

Kallian was not quite sure if she could believe him, how was it possible that one people was all that stood between life and the end of the world? She remembered the tales she had heard of the Grey Wardens, of the battles they fought against the Blights and the Darkspawn. She remembered hearing that it took the combined might of many nations and races to defeat the Darkspawn. Could it be that Khorieus entire race were like the Grey Wardens? Surely it must have been an exaggeration?

As she was about to further question him, Khorieus swiftly brought his gauntleted hand up and hushed for silence. She could see that he was holding on to his axe and it looked like he was listening for something. She tried to strain her hearing as well, her eyes widened as she heard the distant barking of mabari and the clatter and jingling of plate and chain armor, the soldiers and Templar were on the way!

Khorieus swiftly rose up and picked up his pack before moving towards the entrance of the abandoned house. Kallian called to him with a loud whisper and said with alarm 'Where are you going!?'

Khorieus looked to her and replied 'Away from here, it is I that they are after.' He then gave her a solemn look and said 'Farewell Kallian'.

Before she could say anything he darted off outside, she quickly rose up and took a step forwards, was she really going to go and help him? He was not very happy about the last time at the Estate. She stood there for a moment in silence, indecision ate at her, and she bit her lip and knew that she wanted to help him.

His words from only a few hours earlier echoed in her mind "You have a family and a life here, do not throw away what you have".

Clenching her fists, she could not stand idly by and let him do this alone. Despite what he had said, she owed it to him and not just for her, but for Shianni and the other women as well. Had he not been there, they would have been raped and likely murdered by now.

Hearing the barking and clatter get closer, she muttered a profanity and ran out of the house.

* * *

><p>Swiftly passing through the tight alleyways, Khorieus was going north towards the river. He actually didn't have a concrete plan right now, he was just trying to get away from his pursuers. He remembered that according to a map of the city the Elder had shown him a few days earlier, there are docks on the eastern part of the city, indeed he had picked up the faint smell of the sea from the east. He also remembered from the map that to the west from the market was the City Gate.<p>

As he ran, he was quickly faced with two choices, either he try to get to the gates which were likely sealed shut or go to the docks and try to steal a boat. While the boat idea seemed like a good one, there was a strong possibility that either he would be unable to find a ship he could use use or that if he escaped upon one, he may end up going off to Morai-Heg knows where. There was also the threat that if he fell, his armour would only drag him down to a watery grave.

The gate idea on the other hand seemed to have more merit; all he would need to do was open it from the inside. Then again it may be the type of gate which used a mechanism which required many people to operate it. He cursed knowing that he just did not have enough information to make a final decision. As he continued to run, he soon found a way out of the labyrinth of the many slums; he emerged into a wide busy street where his presence was quickly noted by several citizens.

Surveying the crowd, he saw a well decorated carriage of black and gold being pulled by a pair of white horses. Making his way to the carriage, he heard someone shout and something about a Chevalier or whatever and soon a number of people converged upon him angrily. Quickly hissing the command word for his axe, the weapon ignited in white fire and was forced to take more than a few warning swings at the crowd. Soon enough many people ran away in a stampede which caused much chaos upon the streets, the driver of the carriage quickly lashed with the reins upon his horses and they started to pick up their pace across the street and going where he believed was west.

Already nearing the carriage, Khorieus leapt forward with a roar, his axe raised high in his right hand. The flaming axe descended upon the roof and it deeply lodged into the carriage, hearing a loud high-pitched shriek from inside, he swiftly climbed to the roof and he saw the driver. An elderly human looked back towards Khorieus with a mix of shock and terror, the man quickly leapt out of the driver seat and landed upon the cobbled road 'Isha's Tears!' shouted Khorieus as he quickly went towards the driver's seat.

Leaving his axe upon the roof and maintaining his balance, he grabbed the reins and began directing the carriage around a bend in time before it collided with a series of wooden stall. Hoping that it would be as easy as driving a Chariot, he began trying to slow down the using the yoke and soon enough they did. Looking around to see if any of his pursuers were near, he quickly got off the driver seat and went to the side of the carriage where his axe was still lodged into the roof.

Placing a foot upon the step on the side and reaching for his weapon with his right hand, he looked inside and saw a corpulent human male clad in a garish outfit cowering at the other end with another garishly dressed man held on to a steel long sword defensively. 'Get out!' roared Khorieus and the swordsman quickly rushed forwards. Swinging to the right side and opening the side door, the swordsman soon fell out of the carriage into the muddy street.

Khorieus then leapt down from the carriage and delivered a swift kick to the swordsman's ribs before he got up, he felt the satisfying crack of bones as the man groaned in pain. He then delivered another kick to the side of the man's head. Not really bothering with finishing the swordsman off, the High Elf looked back to the carriage to see the other man disembark and run away. The Chracian then went back to his axe and he pulled it out, as soon as his axe was free, he quickly went to the front of the carriage with a fire now spreading.

Dispelling his axe's flames he quickly cut the leather harnesses which bound the horses to the carriage. As he cut the bindings of the horses, he began to sing an Ellyrian melody he had learned in his time as a Silver Helm Knight and the song quickly calmed both the horses. He then swiftly mounted one of the now freed horses and he was about to kick it into a gallop before suddenly hearing the familiar voice of Kallian shouting his name.

Eyes widened in surprise as his song lapsed he looked over his left shoulder to see Kallian covered in blood and running out of an alley, behind her were a pair of barking painted hounds which were quickly closing in on her. Lord of Murder! he mentally shouted, he quickly directed the white horse towards Kallian.

* * *

><p><strong>A bit earlier...<strong>

Navigating through the narrow alleyways of the Poor Quarter slums, Kallian continuously looked behind her shoulder to see if anyone was following her. She was not quite sure on where to go, but there were probably some flophouses she could go to for the night and lay low. Looking about and trying to listen for more mabari or the clatter of plate armor which rang across the narrow streets. As she took a right, her eyes widened in surprise to see a group of men wearing the leather armored uniforms of the city's official local militia at the other end, one of them pointed at her and shouted

'Oi! That elf's got a weapon!' one of the militia men shouted for it was illegal for any elf to carry one. 'Drop the weapons knife ears!'

'Oh sod!' hissed Kallian and she turned and ran. The shouts of the militiamen were behind and they were quickly in pursuit.

Running in the opposite direction she began taking several twists and turns trying to lose them, but it quickly became obvious that these men knew these streets well because they seemed to know which directions to take to intercept her. There were not too many people about now; most were either still at work or getting ready for work come nightfall.

Taking a left around the corner of an intersection by a tavern, she saw two panting militiamen were in her way. She looked to the north and saw three more militiamen and to the east end she saw a trio of chain mailed men with a pair of painted mabari.

'Oh come on!' Kallian shouted and she ran to the left.

The two men on the left side of the street quickly charged towards Kallian with wood cutter's hatchets in hand. The elf woman quickly ripped out the daggers from her scabbards and held them in a reverse grip. One militiaman got ahead of his comrade and threw his left fist forwards with a gloved hand with several metal studs upon the knuckles. Kallian ducked under the punch and she quickly slashed the man across the belly with her right hand red steel dagger.

The blade which lightly glowed cut through the man's leather armor and into the soft flesh of his belly, blood gushed out from the wound and onto Kallian's right leg and the ground. She quickly raised her left dagger to block the second man's hatchet by the axe blade, she quickly delivered a left knee kick into the man's groin and she switched the grip of her bloody right dagger and plunged the blade across the man's neck and spilling blood all over her. Quickly pulling her dagger out, she darted past the bodies.

As she ran onwards while trying to escape the hounds and the men, she soon came to an open area where a group of men were cheering around something. Hearing the barks of the mabari getting closer she quickly ran into the press off bodies, she shoved and pushed her way forwards and got elbowed in the face for her trouble. Pain shot up through her face and stars appeared in her vision as she forced her way through, she eventually managed to make it to the front where she saw a red-bearded dwarf with an eye patch shouting at something, in front of the dwarf were two weird pink skinned creatures with long rabbit like ears, whiskers and small eyes, they looked like some sort of cross between a rabbit and a pig.

The two creatures looked to be trying to bite each other, but Kallian had no time to wonder what they were. Vaulting over the surprisingly sturdy fence, she heard shouts from the men behind her as the mabari barreled into the crowd. Anarchy erupted as several men tried to get away from the hounds, some tried scaling the fence as well while others fought and brawled as they tried to get clear.

Kallian's feet landed upon the muddy ground of the animal fighting ring, the rabbit…pig…things quickly looked at her but she was already passed them and over the opposite side of the fence with the dwarf shouting profanities at her. She made her way through the crowd on the other side which was already dispersing due to the hounds. Stepping over the head of an unlucky man who had tripped and had been trampled by his fellows, Kallian went down another alley while the hounds were forced to go around the fences.

Looking back and thinking she got away, she soon heard the barks of the painted mabari again and she swore once more. Already her legs were painful and demanding rest but she knew that to stop now was a death sentence. Turning her head to see what was in front of her, she saw a wide open street ahead.

Emerging into the later afternoon light, she saw people fleeing to her left and right. She saw a burning carriage painted with black with a golden trim, to her great surprise she saw Khorieus mounting a white horse. Calling to his name, she heard the barking of the hounds and ran towards him. Soon enough, the warrior was galloping towards her, he was leaning to the his right with his axe trailing close to the ground, she saw his lips moving and could hear that he was singing.

Leaping to her left, Kallian rolled upon the filthy ground as she barely dodged the horse, she heard the thunder of hooves and song of the warrior as he raised his axe blade in an upwards arc as he caught one of the painted mabari in the chest. The mabari whined in pain as it flew up with blood gushing out from a lethal wound, the other mabari leapt away from the path of the horse and avoided getting trampled. It lunged forwards with its teeth and snapped at the hind legs of the horse, the horse reacted with surprising swiftness and its hind legs kicked the mabari in the face.

The mabari whined in pain as the iron shod hooves struck its face, it wobbled about in a daze as Khorieus turned the horse around with the now dead other mabari falling off of his axe. Khorieus galloped towards the now dazed mabari and his song reached a crescendo as the axe blade cleaved into the mabari's face. Without stopping, he quickly turned the horse towards her direction; his left hand was soon held out towards Kallian.

As the horse slowed down, Kallian grabbed Khorieus hand; he helped pull her up to the back of the horse. With both legs now on the horse's side and her arms holding on to the warrior's waist with his fur cloak, his bow of white and silver and an empty quiver made from soft leather was near her face. She realized that this was the first time she ever actually got to ride a horse. Looking to Khorieus back and feeling the surprisingly luxurious white pelt upon her finger as she held on to him, she heard him continue to sing something in his language, she tried to ask him something but he ignored her as he focused upon his song.

They were quickly passing over the bridge by the Amaranthine Ocean and over the Drakon River which, she looked to her left and saw the bridge leading to the Alienage. Well so much for staying out of sight she thought.

* * *

><p>Inside the chapel at the Market District again, Darius raised the Lyrium potion to his lips, eagerly gulping down the alchemical fluid; he soon felt its effects coursing through him. He closed his eyes and for a moment he enjoyed the bliss for getting back to work. Mentally reviewing what he had so far from the investigation seemed to mostly be a dead-end again.<p>

The fugitive had proven to be a surprising elusive target, either the elves at the Alienage were either helping him or that they were being charmed through magic. He had tried to see if he could dispel any magical effects upon the elves but had gotten nothing and was inclined on the former. He then sat down by a scribe's lectern and he began writing a series of formal requests for other the Chapters to send what Templars could be spared to replace their losses in Denerim.

He should have joined the men which were searching the labyrinthine slums of the Poor Quarter. But when he had begun to feel that slight tingling of when he needed his Lyrium dose earlier at the Alienage, he had quickly decided to deal with that first. This task was also important; he needed these letters sent because they also contained the description of the fugitive in the event that he escaped. This way the other Chapters at the least would know. As he finished writing the letters, he stamped them with a wax seal of the flaming sword.

Handing the letters to one of the priestesses who would make sure that the message was sent by carrier pigeons, he then made his way out of the chapel. Quietly making his way across the hall, he exited through the double doors and into the late afternoon light. Deciding that he should check up with the investigation at the Alienage, his patience was already running thin and he knew that he should be more "assertive" in his questionings.

As he made it past the gates, he heard the familiar clatter of plate mail and saw one of the other Templars coming towards him. The Templar saluted Darius and he soon realized that it was Brant with his lightning imbued axe, his mind raced with questions as he hoped that they had found the fugitive.

'Anything to report?' Darius asked

'We've spotted them sir!' Brant shouted under his helmet 'The fugitive and his accomplice are on the way to the City Gate!' Darius eyes widened at this, the City Gate was not far off!

'Are the others on the way!?' Darius asked

'Yes sir, Ser Elena is leading them to the gate, come on sir!' Brant said and he ran off towards the Market Gate. Putting his helmet on, Darius quickly went after Brant; he hoped by today, this hunt will end.

* * *

><p>As the white horse galloped closer towards the gate, Khorieus saw the gatehouse with green pennants fluttering in the wind. He gently ended the Ellyrian song and he had the horse slow down. As they stopped near the gate, he quickly dismounted and helped Kallian down, while he was not pleased that somehow she was needlessly stuck with him again, he knew that now was not the time to argue. He saw several human guards at the gate as well as a number of wagons, carriages and people crowding around it.<p>

He guessed that the humans had shut the gates to make sure no one was getting in or out. Hardly caring about how this would affect commerce and travel within the city, what mattered to him right now was getting out. As it seemed that most of the guards were dealing with the complaints of the merchants and travelers, this could give him the element of surprise.

Looking to Kallian, Khorieus had yet to ask her about exactly how she came out of the slums chased by those hounds. He then spoke 'You should leave now Kallian'

With shrug an embarrassed smile she said 'Too late now, I will likely soon be wanted for murder of local lawmen, aiding a known criminal, horse theft, and disturbing the peace.'

Isha's Tears! Khorieus thought as suppressed the urge to plant his face upon the palm of his hand. It seemed that fate has conspired to have her beside him. With a quick survey he saw the entrance to the gatehouse from the right; it was guarded by only two men in the lighter type of chain mail armor and helmets he had seen before.

'You take the one on the left' he quietly said as he handed his knife to Kallian who nodded in affirmation.

Moving towards the side entrance with his axe and bow upon his back. He gently weaved his way passed the carts, animals and people, Khorieus called upon what little remaining power his cloak had; it would likely only last for a minute at most but more likely, even less. As he drew closer to the guardsmen, he saw their heads turn towards Kallian, one of the men said 'Hey where did you get a weapon, elf!?'

Before Kallian could say anything, Khorieus hands swiftly reached out and grabbed the head of the man to the right and the High Elf snapped the guardsman's neck. The other man looked in surprised to Khorieus and before he could grab his weapons or shout for an alarm, Kallian threw the hunting knife which struck the man in the throat. Their actions quickly drew the stunned attentions of a number people in the crowd, already though, Kallian pulled out the knife and Khorieus pushed opened the door and the two entered the gate house.

* * *

><p>'I suppose you have a plan, right?' Kallian asked as Khorieus lifted a heavy wooden slab upon the hooks by the door. She then handed him his knife back and he took it with a nod.<p>

'Due to circumstances, it seems that making things up as they happen has been my grand strategy for today' he said in a serious tone.

With a quick look around the place, they saw it was a square room and at the other end of their position there was a stairway leading up. Khorieus walked ahead with his knife held in hand, Kallian supposed that in an enclosed space like this, his battle-axe may not be the best of choices.

She heard the poundings and thuds from the door behind them and thought, I guess no going out that way. From the stairs, she heard the footsteps of several men and soon Khorieus picked up his pace. Pulling her daggers out and following him, she saw a trio of armed men in regular chain mail armor descend the stairs with weapons at the ready. One of the men ordered for his comrades to attack and the closest one thrust his sword towards Khorieus face as the warrior ascended.

The warrior quickly grabbed the lead human's sword arm and he quickly lifted it up before driving his knife up the man's jaw. The man behind the first one swung his mace towards Khorieus from the side, the warrior easily ducked underneath it and pulled out the knife and proceeded to slit the second man's throat. As he second man held his bleeding throat, Khorieus was already upon the third who wielded an axe, the axe man brought his weapon down upon the warrior who caught the weapon by handle, with sharp twist and cry of pain from the third man, Khorieus then stabbed him with a reverse grip in the left eye.

The man died instantly as the warrior pushed the blade deep enough to puncture the guard's brain. He then picked up the dead man's axe and wielded it with his left hand while his knife was in his right. Soon the sounds of descending footsteps from above became more active along with the jingling of chain armor and the voices of men giving orders. Khorieus began to ascend the stairs more swiftly, and she tried to keep up with him.

Soon enough more men descended from the stairs and Khorieus practically began running upwards. Kallian briefly lost sight of Khorieus before she heard a cry of pain and the body of another chain mail armored man began rolling down the stairs with a deep bloody red gash over cutting diagonally over his right eye. Quickly hearing the clash of steel upon steel, she continued to ascend with her heart pounding and adrenaline rushing. She saw another man roll down she barely managed to avoid and another man was slumped by the curving wall as he tried to pull out a war axe which was tightly lodged into his chest which bled heavily.

They soon arrived at the top into a circular room where several men armed with weapons and shields were waiting for them, Khorieus of whom had brought out his battle-axe, roared in his language and the weapon ignited. The warrior quickly crashed into the press of men and soon the elf woman was with him, her enchanted red steel daggers proved surprisingly effective at cutting through the mail links of the guards. Fighting beside Khorieus, she aided him by guarding his flanks as he swung his fiery axe in deadly arcs and dizzying pattern which cleaved opponents and parried weapons.

Blocking the downwards slash of a swordsman with her right dagger and stabbing him the gut with her left. Kallian took a mace strike to her left shoulder and she shrieked in pain as she felt her left arm go numb and the bones broke. Through sheer effort of will, she held on to her left dagger and delivered a kick to the mace wielder's groin, as the man clutched his manhood, Kallian brought down her right dagger and she stabbed him in the back of the neck.

Cutting down the last of the men with two having attempted to flee through a door way which led towards the top of the ramparts itself, she could feel the wind blowing from it and she could smell for the first time in her life, the scent of the forest. Khorieus quickly crossed the bloody floor and towards the ramparts, Kallian followed him and she emerged outside to see to her left, Denerim, the city of her birth. To her right she saw the forest which lay outside the city, the section of the wall facing outside had many thick stone parapets with holes in the center, she guessed that it was used for archers to shoot at attackers.

Khorieus was soon looking down from one of the open spaces between the parapets; she hoped that he was not planning to jump. He looked to her and said 'Keep a look out for more', Kallian nodded quite unsure on what he was planning to do, and she sheathed her daggers and brought up her crossbow.

He then turned back to the circular room, she saw him set down his axe by the doorway and he began dragging a headless corpse near the wall. Setting the corpse down, he retrieved his axe and he quickly brought its blade down upon the corpse's chest, she heard the crack of bones as the axe blade broke through the ribcage along with sound of flesh being torn, he then set his axe down beside him and he plunged his gauntleted hands in the wounds. To her horror and disgust, she saw Khorieus tearing the wound open with his hands, although she had killed people before; she would never have done such defilement.

Feeling bile rise up to her throat, she did her best to keep it in as the warrior soon exposed the ribs and organs of the corpse. He then pulled out a long series of ropey entrails from the dead man, he handed it to her and said with a serious and commanding tone 'Hold this'. Grabbing on to the bloody organs and thinking that she was going to lose the battle with her stomach, she saw Khorieus lift up the corpse and carried it over the parapet. He then tossed the corpse over the wall and he quickly placed his right hand over Kallian's end of the organ 'You can let go now' he said.

Khorieus moved back to the parapets and with the organ in hand, he looked over the wall and nodded. He then let go of the organ and knelt down, he put down his pack and pulled out a long length of rope. Kallian looked at him incredulously and could not help but blurt out

'Why didn't you use that instead!?' she said as Khorieus soon went to one end of the stone blocks and he asked for Kallian to wait at the other end.

Following the warrior's orders, she obeyed and leaned over the space between the block and the one next to it. Khorieus then tossed her one end of the rope and she deftly caught it, he then went back to her, he took her end of the rope and began tying it around the block. Going back on watch with her question still unanswered, Khorieus soon replied as he worked with the rope.

'It would have been a waste of time to throw down the rope and pull it back up, I needed something else to measure the distance to the ground.' Kallian looked at Khorieus with shock

'You used a sodding dead man as a unit of measurement!?' she asked with disbelief.

As Khorieus finished tying the knots of the rope he then looked to her and nodded. He then went back into the circular room and soon he came back with a fresh quiver of arrows.

'More or less, yes' he said nonchalantly 'Now we descend'.

* * *

><p>Panting with exhaustion as they arrived at the gate house, this was one of the times Darius regretted wearing such heavy armor. Sure it was usually excellent protection, but actually sprinting with it was just torture. Trying to catch his breath as he rested his hands on his knees, he looked up to see the crowd of merchants and travelers who were now stuck inside the city due to the lockdown.<p>

Ahead of him, he saw a number of his fellow Templars speaking with some of the civilians. A man was frantically saying something as he pointed to the northern entrance to the gatehouse. Walking towards his fellows he saw them turn around they saluted Darius.

'The fugitive was here sir!' came the voice of one of the Templars named Edmund 'He and an accomplice killed two guardsmen and then they entered the gatehouse!'

'Any word from the men inside?' Darius asked with an uneasy feeling as he knew that the men inside would be dead

'No word sir' Edmund replied. It was all Darius needed to hear. 'I think the south tower is still open sir'

'Good, let's get in there' Darius ordered. Edmund saluted and Darius ordered for the Templars to form up, they pushed their way past the milling crowd which was growing more restless without any guards and only the gates to bar their way.

* * *

><p>Descending from the rope with Kallian above him, Khorieus gently climbed down the city wall. As he looked down, he saw that the rope he had used fell a few feet short, nothing to worry about he supposed. Looking up, he was glad that at the least it looked as if Kallian had done something like this before. As they descended, he took a deep refreshing breath of the forest behind them, all he would need to do now was go west.<p>

Of course there was still the problem of more of these Templars at the Mage Tower, and there was the possibility that the Mages in question would not be as inclined to aid him. It was a problem he would have to deal with later, but right now he needed to get as far away from the city as possible.

'Halt for now' he commanded, looking down towards the muddy ground below him, he climbed down a little more before he let go. After short drop, he grunted as his boots hit the ground, he then looked up and called to Kallian. 'You can let go! I will catch you!' he shouted

He heard Kallian sigh and mutter something, she then let go of the rope and she dropped while quickly shifting her position with her back facing the ground. After a brief of moment of falling, his strong arms caught Kallian from a little bellow the shoulder blades and the back of her thighs. With a grunt from the two of them, Khorieus looked down to see that Kallian was fine, her eyes were closed as she had landed and when she opened them, their gazes were locked on to one another for a moment.

'Good catch' she the said with relief. Khorieus then gently put her down, and he nodded towards her. She nodded back and without a word they sprinted towards the woods, the High Elf felt invigorated as he went towards the forest along with Kallian. At the least he thought, he would not be alone.

* * *

><p>'All right, search the ramparts!' commanded Darius as his Templars finally made it to the top.<p>

The Templars were exhausted as they had to climb the stairs in their armor as well, they found the doorway to the north side blocked but the one on the south side at the least was unlocked. The guardsmen who were supposed to be stationed here were likely dead as there was no one to greet them.

'Over there sir!' shouted Templar Margaret as she pointed over the wall and towards the forest.

Quickly going to the edge, he saw the silverite armored fugitive running towards the forest with another person. His fists clenched tightly and his teeth gritted as countless obscene profanities soon burst from his mouth. The Templars around him looked at Darius with shock as he verbally let loose his pent-up frustration.

Again the fugitive had escaped them! Searching for someone in the wilds was a completely different matter than in the city. He would need expert trackers and hunters for they had no phylactery which they could use to track the fugitive. Glaring angrily at the fugitive and his companion as they disappeared into the tree line, he knew that things just got more complicated.

* * *

><p>As night fell across Thedas, Kallian panted heavily as she slumped down with her back to a tree. When her night vision set, she could see Khorieus moving about in the dark as he collected wood. Lifting a water skin the warrior had provided her, she deeply drank the refreshingly cool liquid which went down her parched throat. As sweat coated her flesh from underneath her leather armor, she removed her leather helmet and wiped the moisture from her brow with the back of her bloodied right hand.<p>

She could hardly even hear Khorieus moving about in the dark amidst the cacophony of insects, birds and frogs. As she caught her breath she gently rolled around her left shoulder and she hissed as it still hurt a lot. After hearing a clatter of wooden twigs in front of her, she heard Khorieus whisper something and his axe ignited, suddenly seeing the warrior in the white light, she had almost thought him to be some sort of ghost. He then placed the axe upon the pile of sticks, the sticks ignited and he nodded with satisfaction.

'Get some rest _Mornah_' he said 'I will take the first watch' As Kallian was about to reply, she heard the distant howling of wolves in the forest. She had a feeling, that she would not get a lot of sleep this night.


	5. Daroir

Kallian wearily groaned as her ears were assailed by birdsong above, she quickly picked up a delectable smell of cooking meat and her stomach growled in hunger. Slowly opening her eyes to see the canopy of the forest she saw the countless leaves which obscured the sun as only a few shafts of light broke through here and there. Slowly rising up from a bed of leaves with a soft grunt, the white fur cloak of Khorieus had become her blanket the previous night with the head of great beast becoming a pillow of sorts. Stretching her arms, she felt the light cracks of bone; her left shoulder was no longer painful for it had been healed during their first night thanks to the healing magic on the _Asur_'s amulet.

She saw Khorieus squatting on the opposite end of the fire pit to her left; in his hands he held a pair of sticks which he was using to gingerly carry four fist sized balls of leaves which were placed upon a flat stone. He slowly placed the four-leaf balls upon another larger and wider leaf which looked to be very thick

He then looked to her and nodded while saying 'It is ready _mornah._'

Shrugging off the white fur cloak, Kallian was still clad in her studded leather armor which was in some serious need of cleaning the next time she would get the chance for it. Still sitting upon the bed of leaves she simply greeted him with a good morning.

The warrior slowly rose up with the four leaf balls upon the larger leaf which was held in his now bare hand. He carefully moved towards her and replied as he offered her the food '_Harathoi-Lecai, mornah_'.

Kallian smiled and wondered what the food was, she studied the leaf ball before picking one up, she gently tightened her grip upon the warm object and she looked to Khorieus unsure of how to begin. She saw him set down the large leaf with the now three balls upon the grassy earth, he then picked up one of the leaf balls with his hands and he bit into it. Kallian shrugged and bit into her leaf ball as well, her teeth cut through the soft leaves and into a tightly packed ball of meat and herbs which released a small bit of steam.

Its aroma was just as divine as the taste, she could tell that it was made from rabbit, yet it was different from what Khorieus had cooked in the last few days. For three days now they had been in the forest, she had no idea exactly where they were, for her knowledge in forestry was dismal, all she could tell was that they were traveling near the Drakon River. Although she had not exactly slept well with the constant sounds of the wildlife around them, at the least the food was good. It was through the warrior that Kallian had her first taste of actual rabbit meat and it was a lot better than the "rabbits of the city" (which was actually rat meat).

'What is this?' Kallian asked Khorieus as she swallowed her first bite of the rabbit and leaf ball. Khorieus looked to her with a faint smile and replied with a hint of warmth.

'A common hunter's meal' he said 'In Ulthuan, many learn to make this, although I did alter it with a dash of a Cathayan style'

Kallian tilted her head and wondered if this was another place from his world 'Cathayan?' she asked. Khorieus nodded and explained

'Far to the east of Ulthuan, passed the many nations of men and dwarfs lies the human empire of Cathay' he said. He then continued 'although I have never been there, merchants from Cathay often seek to trade with my people. In the City of Lothern which is the heart of Ulthuan's commerce, humans from all over the world settle in the walled off enclave known as the Foreign Quarters'.

'You mean like an Alienage?' Kallian asked surprised at the idea of humans residing within a segregated community in city of Lothern.

For the past three days now, she had been asking Khorieus more about Ulthuan and the _Asur_, she had learned about the other kingdoms and what sort of elves lived there. She had learned how Lothern of which was the capital of a kingdom called Eataine was not just a main trading center, but also the seat of power for their current king, one Khorieus had referred to as "Finubar The Seafarer", the Foreign Quarter in Lothern must be over crowded if humans from many different countries were required to live in the same area.

'Not exactly' he replied 'the humans who live there are merchants or in the employment of merchants, all of whom are free to return to their homelands if they wish.' That made sense Kallian thought, she then heard him continue 'although in recent centuries it has become popular in Lothern and its neighbors to employ human servants, sometimes even slaves.' Again, Kallian was surprised at the mere idea of humans in servitude towards elves. She herself had once tried doing servant work but was soon fired after her employer grabbed her from behind and she reacted by breaking his nose.

'Did you have any human servants?' Kallian asked with curiosity. Khorieus softly grunted and gave a slightly disdainful look; she guessed that it was a practice he did not approve of.

'No, I did not' he replied 'in my time, we Highborn of Ulthuan employed other _Asur _of the… more common class'. Kallian's bit into her rabbit meat again and began to chew as the implication of what Khorieus said was true.

After swallowing her food, Kallian asked with more curiosity than before 'Are you a noble then?'

'I am' he replied 'I am the Lord of the House of Alatanrieth'

'So… should I be referring to you as milord? Or your highness?' she asked in a joking manner.

'That would be unnecessary _mornah_, you may simply refer to me by my name' he replied with a slight smile.

'What does that mean anyway?' Kallian asked '_mornah_?'

'An affectionate term for a skilled child' was Khorieus answer. Kallian snorted at this and responded

'I am past seventeen you know, I was already to be married and fully considered an adult' she said with a mix of mild annoyance and good humor. She noted Khorieus raising an eyebrow quite curiously, he seemed to be pondering something before continuing

'And I have lived for more than six centuries, _mornah_' Khorieus said while still smiling 'As such I believe that by your standards, everyone else is a child compared to me.'

Once more Kallian was surprised, while surely this must have been a jest, were his people immortal like the elves of ancient Arlathan? When she looked at him, she would have guessed that he was perhaps in his early to mid thirties.

Once more, Kallian could not help but feel that while there were a number of superficial similarities between her and Khorieus. It seemed that the more she learned about him the more she learned of just how strange and different he was. There was something which seemed so fundamentally different about this warrior, something which filled the simple rogue from the Alienage of Denerim with a mix of awe and envy. Quickly regaining her composure, she then asked

'You certainly don't look that old' Kallian said jokingly 'Why you look as if you are still rather eligible for marriage'.

Khorieus slight smile quickly disappeared at her words, did she touch upon something sensitive to him she thought with a bit of worry. He then just looked to the fire between, his eyes just stared there and yet, it seemed like he was looking at something else. Silence passed and she was about to speak before Khorieus spoke first.

'I was married… once' he said quietly in a distant manner as he looked into the fire, and yet he was not looking at it at the same time. She could see that his fists were slowly tightening.

'What happened?' Kallian asked, Khorieus remained silent and he did not answer. He just looked into the fire and stared with only silence as his answer.

* * *

><p>Looking at the letter he held in his hands, Templar Jacob Darius was furious about what was written on it. His request for support from the Circle had been denied and his request for more Templars had as well been denied due to the lack of numbers from the other chapters. Many Templars had gone south with the King's army to battle the Darkspawn horde, the supposed Blight as the Gray Wardens claimed. Already the other chapters had their own problems to deal with involving Maleficars and Apostates; it seemed that the only bright side to this was that his request for better gear and alchemical goods had been approved.<p>

While it would be good to have better equipment, he realized that he would need more men if he were to capture the fugitive. He had requested for support from the Watch and the local garrison, but with the further increase in criminal activity as well as the ongoing Orlesian panic, the soldiers and the Watch were just too stretched thin, even if it was to capture the one who had killed the Arl's son.

Slamming his right fist upon the wooden desk within his office in the chapter house, he was just so frustrated that the fugitive got away again. Already, wanted signs were being put up both around the city and on the Chanter's Board. With the lockdown of the city lifted the day after the fugitive left, he already had couriers and carrier pigeons sent out to the other chapters across Ferelden.

On the day the fugitive had left, they did try searching for him and his companion. Unfortunately, none of the current Templars he had were skilled trackers; three of the Templars who had been killed on the day the Arl's son was also killed were their chapter's trackers. A fourth if he counted the late Bernard Marquand, the Templar began to think that their reliance on phylacteries was becoming a crutch of sorts.

He had also tried hiring out mercenaries to help with the hunt, but most had already gone south to join the army gathering at Ostagar or were already employed to join the one of many conflicts at the Bannorn. There were also some who were currently either selling their services to the Watch or according to more than a few reports, were actually taking advantage of the lack of law enforcers as well.

The only mercenaries he had found who were available were those he thought were more suited for roughing up shopkeepers, let alone hunting a dangerous outlaw who had killed more than a hundred armed fighters in a week. With the few Templar he had left available, he would need to outfit them with better gear and supplies, indeed by tomorrow; they would try their luck once more.

* * *

><p>After breaking camp and going on the move again, Kallian struggled once more to follow the pace set by Khorieus. They had not spoken since she asked him about his marriage, did he have a wife who was alive and had left him? Did she die? Did Khorieus have any children? Again, she was filled with more questions about him. As the day went on with little happening, Kallian just kept trudging through the forest.<p>

On the evening of that night when they had made camp again, Khorieus had once more set up a fire, this time by rubbing sticks together and had gone off to hunt for game. Kallian sat in front of the fire with her legs crossed; to her left was her crossbow. In the space between her and the fire was another large leaf; upon it were several wild berries which the warrior had gathered. Exactly how he kept managing to find food in the wilds was just beyond her.

Picking on the berries and eating them one at a time, she found the small round dark blue things to be pleasantly tart. Feeling the cold once more from the night, she wished that she had brought a cloak or a blanket to help keep out the cold.

'Fine night for camping eh?' came a throaty voice to her right which sounded a bit cheery.

Looking to the direction of where the voice came, she slowly began reaching for the loaded crossbow which lay beside her left. From the shadows came a muscular, leather-clad, scar faced, tattooed man with an unkempt beard and hair. She could see the man was giving her a leering grin with blackened teeth and upon his back was an iron maul, clearly this man was a bandit. She had a pretty good idea on what he was thinking as she saw his hungry expression, as his eyes were sizing her up.

'Just out for a hike' Kallian said cautiously as her eyes scanned the area for any more of his fellow.

She spotted two more men, one of whom was not far behind the first one and pointing a crossbow at her, the third of whom was an archer, was not far away from the second man's right. She could see that the hammer man knew that she spotted the crossbow man and the archer and had suddenly halted her hand before picking up the grip of her own crossbow.

'Must be lonely for a pretty girl like you to be all up in these woods' the hammer man said as he drew closer, she could see that his leather armor was of a rough quality which looked to be in rather poor condition, the man smelled of old sweat and blood.

She had a hard enough time trying not to gag as she could smell his breath from downwind. She had a feeling that this was the part where he and his friends would start playing around before making their intentions clear, and then it is off to raping and killing.

'You see' the man said as he slowly bent down to look her in the eye 'me and some lads noticed you got a fire there and even some tasty fruit, would be nice of you to share some that, the Maker rewards that sort a thing, don't he lads!?' the man said as called back.

A chorus of agreements followed by chortles followed. The lead man then grinned wider and continued 'We brought some goods of our own' he said 'some fine sausages to share with you that just need a nice warm spot, how about it pretty girl?'

'Sorry, I am with someone right now' Kallian said with a shrug and sounding disinterested 'he should be coming back soon now'. She saw the man raise an eyebrow; he then glanced back at his mates who then began scanning the area.

'And what kind of friend you got?' asked the man calmly as he kept his composure.

'The knightly and bloodthirsty kind, a real killer that one, clad in fancy plate armor he is' replied Kallian with a grin, at least she hoped Khorieus was nearby.

'Well me and the lads don't see anyone else, especially no knightly types clanking about' the man said as he looked back to her, it was clear with his tone that he was calling her bluff. At the corner of her eye, she noticed the man with crossbow go down in silence, she then grinned at the leader a bit evilly.

'I think my friend is here, you all should probably go' she said

'What if I tell you I think you're bluffing?' the man said, he seemed confident in thinking that Kallian really was bluffing.

'Well suit yourself then' shrugged Kallian 'from my experience, meetings like this can quickly change in just a snap' she said with a snap of her right fingers at the end of her sentence.

* * *

><p>Snapping the neck of the man he had brought down with a sleeper hold, Khorieus quietly lowered the corpse into the brus. He had seen over five other humans around the camp, picking up his bow which he had set down behind the crossbow wielder, he took aim to an archer on his right and quickly fired an icy arrow before switching targets. He aimed at another human who was hiding behind Kallian's position, as soon as he put the arrow to the bowstring; he heard a cry of pain from the previous man before firing the second arrow. His current target quickly went down as an arrow struck him in the neck.<p>

The sound of the archer's cry quickly made the large man wielding the hammer turn around with shock. Already, the High Elf had an arrow pointed at the fourth man who was southwest of Kallian's position, he then released the arrow which swiftly flew over the fire and it hit the fourth man in the heart. Looking back to Kallian who took advantage of the hammer wielder's shock, she had quickly gotten up and picked up her crossbow and taken aim.

The hammer man looked to Kallian as he reached for his weapon, as soon as his fingers gripped the shaft, he froze in silence like a deer as stared down the loaded crossbow which was now pointing directly at the hammer man's face. Khorieus heard Kallian speak with a mocking tone

'Like I said' she spoke 'things can just change in a snap'. She then pulled the trigger of her crossbow and shot the hammer man in the face.

Stowing his bow upon his back, Khorieus turned away from the camp. He walked for only a short distance before he found the stick he had used to tie two large birds by the neck, he had used the fiber of some local plants to string said birds up. Picking up the stick, he went back towards the camp. There he found Kallian checking the pockets of the hammer man for anything of value, finding a small pouch which jingled with the metallic sound of coins, Kallian could not help but grin.

* * *

><p>'So what you get?' Kallian asked as she eyed the two grey feathered birds with white fluffy necks and long plumes. She then went about checking if the other bandits had anything useful on them.<p>

'I am quite not sure what these should be called' Khorieus replied.

He then set the stick with the birds near the fire, he removed his helmet which he set beside to his left, he then knelt down on one knee and began plucking out the feathers from the birds. He worked in silence as he prepared the two birds for consumption, his mind focused upon the task.

'I am sorry about earlier' Kallian said as she stopped over the body of the crossbow man 'I didn't think it may be a touchy subject… about you being married and all'. He stopped his work and he looked at her, he gave her a weary look and sighed

'There is nothing to apologize for _mornah_' he said with quiet resignation 'I have had over two centuries to mourn the passing of my wife and son'. He then quietly went back to work with the birds, Kallian looked away with a twinge of guilt; she had certainly brought up something which was painful for him.

'What happened?' Kallian asked a bit hesitantly and yet the curiosity of burned within her; she went closer to him and sat beside him with her knees to her chest, 'to your family?' she added

'What happens to many of my people' he said with a bit of anger as he tore out the last bit of feathers upon one bird and got started on the next. 'War, the eternal war my people fight leaves none unscathed; like so many others, my wife and son passed from the world of the living during one of the many wars'.

'Why is it that your people keeping fighting?' Kallian asked. She could not imagine what it would be like to spend one's own entire life in preparation for conflict, for even an entire civilization to focus all of its time in preparation for a war with no end and she remembered many stories of hardships when the previous king of Ferelden had fought the rebellion against the Orlesians. 'Could you not try to talk things out with whoever you are fighting with?' she then added.

'Because what we fight' Khorieus said with a sigh 'are foes that will never stop killing, they will never cease to negotiate; they will never halt their campaigns of destruction until all of the world burns'. He then gave her a sad weary look before he finished plucking the last feathers from the bird 'we do what we must _mornah_, lest the entire world perishes'. His words carried with it, a great sense of weariness.

For a moment, Kallian could no longer see Khorieus as the mighty warrior, what she saw was tired old soul who has been through so much. She could not help but feel sorry for him, rising up, Khorieus looked up at her as she gently wrapped his head with her arms and rested it upon her chest. She felt the smooth yet deceptively strong iron cords in his long white hair. As she saw the many diamond-like gems and silver combs, she remembered him mentioning that white was a color of both purity and mourning among the _Asur_.

'I am sorry to hear what happened to you and your family' Kallian said in sympathy.

'It is not I who deserves your pity _mornah_' Khorieus said with a calm solemnity 'they have already passed into the afterlife and are beyond suffering, pity my world for should the _Asur_ fall, Kallian'

'I lost my own mother two years ago' Kallian said with sad empathy as she gently rested his upon her. 'She taught me everything she knew to help me survive' Kallian's thoughts then went back to her mother, she remembered the happier times when she was alive. 'She said that she was going out to do some errands and she never came back'

Kallian remembered how the news of it came to her, she had been playing with her cousins, Soris and Shianni, when she came home she found her father weeping and from him, she learned from her father what had happened and she wept with tears.

'She was killed by human guardsmen, I never got to say goodbye' Kallian added as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

As silence passed between the two, it was Khorieus who then finally spoke 'My wife and son died because of me' he said 'as was standard procedure in times of war, the women-folk of whom were all trained to fight amongst the Citizen Levy would lead the evacuation of our injured, the children and elderly. I had ordered for the refugees of three entire settlements to make it towards the closest mountain pass Averlorn.'

Kallian remembered Khorieus saying that Averlorn was the true heart of Ulthuan, home to a monarch called the Everqueen of whom was kind of like the Chantry's Divine she guessed but of the _Asur _goddess, Isha and the current one, according to Khorieus was named Alarielle the Radiant. Kallian had learned that the land of Averlorn was tied to the Everqueen whose emotions would mirror that of the land, the land which supposedly was the spiritual and religious heart of the High Elves. Kallian had imagined a land of an eternal spring where there sun was never harsh, the breeze was always pleasant, where the night was never too cold, a lovely place to be sure she thought.

Khorieus then continued 'my wife had argued and demanded that she and the other women-folk stay and fight with the rest of my warriors, their own brothers, fathers and husbands. I argued against it for we had hundreds of injured, elderly and children, our son included. I convinced her to leave and help guard our people, I promised to see her again when the battle was over.' Silence passed once more as Kallian continued to hold him 'As my warriors prepared for battle, a _Druchii_ Lord who rode upon a black dragon flew over our battle lines. He did not bother to stop by us, he just laughed as he flew straight for the refugees my wife had been leading.'

Kallian held him more tightly as she heard the anger in his voice rising 'The _Druchii_ Lord set the entire refugee column ablaze, there was no cover from the dragon's fire as we heard the screams of terror from our families. When we arrived, we found only an elder of whom we were forced to mercy kill. I never said goodbye to my wife and son, my last words to them was the promise them that I would see them again. I know that it was not truly my fault that they had died, but I often wonder what would have happened had I listened to her, would she and my son still be alive? Would the hundreds of other women, children and elderly still be alive?'

For a long moment, she stood there in silence with his head resting upon her chest; her grip had tightened a bit more as she held back the tears which were almost ready to burst as she buried her face into his white hair. With a series deep breaths, she inhaled the exotic smell of spices and herbs upon him, Kallian then held back her tears through sheer force of will. She then let go and took a step back, the two of them looked each other in the eye, and a moment of quiet understanding passed between them for no words were needed.

Khorieus gave her soft smile before pulling out his knife and he began gutting one of the two birds. Kallian smiled towards the warrior and she went back to looting the bodies of the bandits.

* * *

><p>Templar Darius sat in silence upon his bed as he read the letter he had just received from his daughter Katherine in Highever. He smiled with a mix of joy and relief as the letter explained that he now had a grandson; his daughter had given birth earlier than expected but had nevertheless survived to be alive and well. As much as he wanted to go out and ride to Highever, he still had his duty to the Order and the Chantry.<p>

Yawning in sleepiness and feeling a bit thirsty, the Templar decided that he needed a drink, to celebrate as well as to help clear his head. Clad in a simple set of robes, he walked out of his quarters and headed towards the chapter house's cellar under the kitchen where casks of wine and ale were kept. His remaining brothers and sisters were either sleeping at this late hour or in prayer to the Maker.

As he passed the entrance of the kitchen, he saw Elena sitting upon a wooden stool by the square-shaped preparation table where the servants would chop the meat and vegetables. In front of her was a single clay cup and a bottle of wine to her right, she gave him an annoyed look with rosy cheeks then back towards her cup. On the day the fugitive escaped, Darius verbally and non-too politely (to put it lightly) made it clear that he believed her misplaced sympathy for the Alienage elves had gotten in the way of their investigation.

While it was in his power to suspend Elena, he had too much respect for his fellow Templar that he chose not to. Walking into the room, he saw her look up to him and she quickly downed another glass. Looking about the room a bit sadly, Darius remembered the faces of men and women they had so quickly lost. He remembered how Finnick and Russel used to often drink here and engage nearly everyone else in the chapter in outrageous games of chance.

He remembered personally seeing to the training of Willhelm, he was proud of the lad who had proven himself well during a hunt against an Antivan Blood Mage. He remembered the names and faces of all the comrades and friends he had lost, there were many times he had even expected them to still be there. Noticing another three stools around the preparation table, he moved towards a cupboard across Elena where several goblets and cups were kept, he took one clay cup and proceeded to seat himself upon the stool across Elena.

Quietly pushing his cup forwards, Elena nodded and poured him a drink. 'Thank you' Darius said and Elena began to pour herself another drink and saying nothing. Darius sipped the wine; he found it to be a bit too strong and sour for his liking but proceeded to drain it anyway.

'This is terrible wine' Darius said while feeling very warm, as he looked at Elena whose hair was now loose as it reached to her shoulders, perhaps in another life he thought if they were not colleagues, he would have liked for their relationship to be more than just professional.

'Then don't drink it' Elena replied with annoyance as she gulped down another cup. Sighing and feeling a small measure of guilt for his outburst, he should not have done that, not in front of the others. He was going to do this anyway, so now was a good time as any other.

'I just wanted to apologize' Darius said as he looked away 'for my outburst at the ramparts'

'You were right to do so' Elena said as she laid the right side of her face upon the table. 'We could have found out where they went, we could have had this whole damn hunt over with, all those men would have lived and streets would not be in such a sodding mess' she said with a mix of regret and guilt.

Elena then rose her head up and she rested her elbows upon the table with her chin now resting upon her clasped hands. 'I suppose you want to know what that was about? At the Alienage.' Darius nodded quietly and she continued 'Well I am sure you already know that I was born and raised in the Bannorn'. Again Darius nodded for this part he knew.

'Right, well my father, Bann Aonghas was a real fighter and a devotee to the Chantry' Elena said

Darius remembered a few years back, hearing how Bann Aonghas had in one year, claimed the territories of twelve other Banns in brutal and bloody conflict before subsequently losing it all again over the following months. 'He already his first son, my brother Gordan as an heir, he was followed by Albrecht who was the spare, then me.'

Elena then took another drink from her cup and continued 'My father was happy to have me and believed it was a sign from the Maker, so he planned to give me to the Chantry to become a Templar, as thanks to the Maker.' Again, these were parts he already knew but was patient for Elena to tell

'So while my father was out fighting his campaigns, my mother died of a wasting sickness a few months after I was born.' Elena then began pouring herself another cup, the stream of wine stopped halfway with the cup and she shook the bottle before shrugging and putting it back down. 'My father didn't have time to get a nanny so he ordered his servants of whom were all elves and had them take care of me'

'So that's why you seem to care so much for them?' Darius asked with curiosity. Elena shook her head and continued.

'Not entirely' Elena said as she began to have that look of reminiscence 'You see, the servants had shown me a side of things I think a lot of us ignore or are blind to'

'And what would that be exactly' asked Darius with a raised eyebrow.

'To see the world from their perspective' Elena replied 'once, they had a great empire, a nation with roads, bridges, cities, and works of art. Then they were enslaved by the Tevinter Imperium and their Maleficar masters…' Darius knew well this part of history; it was under the bondage of the Tevinter Imperium that the Prophet Andraste came to prominence, it was under the Prophet's wisdom and guidance, the Maleficar lords of the Tevinter Imperium were cast down.

'Once they were a prosperous people like the dwarves, but now they are but a shadow of their former selves' Elena said a bit sadly 'you have seen it for yourself in the Alienages and the streets throughout Thedas, the way they are treated and abused, the way most of us think of them as nothing more than pests.' There was something in Elena's tone which made Darius think that perhaps there was more to his fellow Templar's sympathy.

He had seen it before among his comrades, people with deep-seated personal problems they could not seem to deal with on their own. Perhaps her childhood was more troubled than he had thought and that Elena saw a bit of herself in the elves situation? Perhaps, he had to admit that he was a bit surprised for he thought that he already had Elena all figured out.

As Elena began to stagger a bit on her seat, Darius knew that she clearly had enough. Getting off of his stool he then slowly walked towards and said 'Come on, I think you have had enough for tonight'.

Elena slurred something unintelligibly before falling off of her seat, Darius caught her in time and he grunted in annoyance. Lifting Elena up by the shoulder, he helped carry her to the main sleeping quarters. He hoped that by tomorrow she would not be too hung over, for they still had the fugitive to catch. With his requisition form approved he was confident that by dawn, his party of Templars would have what they need to even the playing field.

* * *

><p>'Are you ready to go <em>mornah<em>?' Khorieus asked, he saw Kallian lifting up a back pack she had taken from one of the dead bandits.

She had a new quiver of crossbow bolts attached to her belt, just as he had a new quiver of arrows for his bow. While he was not pleased with the idea of using crude, human made arrows, it was honestly better than nothing. Kallian's "daggers" were now sheathed around her side with her crossbow and bolts upon her back.

'Ready to go' Kallian eagerly said for she had been able to sleep well the previous night thanks to some Valerian root Khorieus had found the previous day.

After consulting the map, Khorieus was confident that they were close to the road going southwest of Denerim, if the map's information was accurate; all they would have to do was to keep following the river until they arrive at a settlement called Lothering. Then from there they would go northwest to find the Mage Tower at Lake Calenhad.

Already though, Khorieus was wondering how in Loec's name was he going to get help from the Mages. The best case scenario would be that perhaps he could find a mage who was not very loyal to these Templars who seemed to be their jailers. Of course there also was the possibility that he would have to fight he way past several Templars as well as Mages, if that was the case then he was confident that he could force one of the Mages into aiding him. He himself has had a lot of experience in dealing with enemy spell casters on the battlefields of his world.

There was also the strong possibility that the Mages did not have what he sought. It had already entered his mind that there might be a possibility that this world did not have any sort of planes traveling devices. If that was the case then he would be stuck upon this world for the rest of his life. Shaking his head, he did not want to think about that possibility until he could be sure.

Still though, it nagged at him that if he could not find a way home, what would he do? He had no desire of living in a slum; he had little information regarding what else this world had. He supposed he could indefinitely remain being a wandering vagrant, but then what? Shaking his head once more, he hoped to all the _Cadai_ that this world had something which he could use to go home.

Khorieus and Kallian travelled by the road with no other incidents for the next two days. Eventually the number of trees became more sparse and leaving the land more open with many hills. They stopped on the third day to rest by the river and refresh their water supply, Kallian had insisted on stopping as well to get herself cleaned, which he admitted was becoming noticeable but had been too polite to point it out.

As such they did and she had jokingly told him 'Now don't let me catching you peeping while I bathe'

Khorieus calmly responded while trying to conceal his amusement 'If I desired such a vulgar thing, you know what magic my cloak is capable of.'

His response had alarmed Kallian who then seemed unsure if she should bathe. He had grinned and gone off to leave her to it, he had used the time to forage for herbs, fruit, tubers, nuts, mushrooms, wild grain or whatever plant-based material seemed edible or medicinal.

As he foraged for things, he began to notice something strange in the air. There was a faint smell, of something foul like a rotted corpse; there was something strange and unnatural about it which uncomfortably reminded him of the Plague God's corruption. Quickly drawing his bow, he followed the scent of the corruption; it couldn't be… could it? He thought as he followed it. No… it was not Chaos but something unnatural and foul as well, like the presence of raw _Dhar_ upon the Winds.

Eventually, the smell became stronger, he was getting closer to the source. As he picked up his pace he soon crested a low hill, as he looked down he could smell the corruption mixed with the coppery smell of blood. He looked down to see several corpses at the base of the hill, carefully moving towards the corpses, the smell of the corruption grew stronger, it was almost as if he had been dumped into a Chaos tainted Plague Pit.

At a closer look, he saw the bodies of hideous creatures. Some were tall, muscular things with sharp teeth, yellowish mottled flesh, and yet there was something odd about them, something which indicated that it must have been once human. The tall muscular things were clad in serviceable suites of barbaric looking armor which seemed to be decently maintained and not ramshackle. Their weapons though were crude, rusty things with cruel, curved designs and spikes, it reminded him of some of the equipment used by the Bestigors.

Aside from the tall muscular things, there were shorter creatures which also had sharp teeth but pointed ears. They almost reminded him of some stunted breed of orc or a goblin which had grown to be almost as burly as a dwarf. These smaller ones seemed to be clad in a variety of leather armors with spikes protruding from it. As he studied the corpse of one of the creatures, he saw that it its right eye was a burnt ruin, from experience he recognized that it was killed by a flaming arrow.

He looked to another corpse and found that it too had been killed by what seemed to be a flaming arrow. As he searched more of the corpses, he saw that all seemed to have been slain by fiery arrows. He studied the ground around the dead creatures and soon a clear image had appeared in his mind.

It seemed that these creatures were on the move, that they were going somewhere west. They were then attacked by something which was shooting at them, it was fast. He then saw the hoof prints of a horse, there must have been a horse archer then. Judging by the tracks though it seemed as if the creatures were attacked by a single horse archer… but for there to be so many dead from a single rider?

Khorieus eyes widened… could it be? He thought with alarm. He followed the hoof prints and he soon found a splash of red blood which trailed off. It seemed that one of the creatures had been able to strike the horse or its rider. Dipping his gauntleted right index and middle fingers upon the blood, he sniffed it and placed it upon the tip of his tongue, it was horse blood. It seemed as if the horse and the rider continued to move in circles until all of the creatures were dead. He then found the set of tracks which led away south from dead creatures.

As he followed the tracks along with the blood trail, he found that it led to a hill with a copse of tress upon it, among the trees, he saw the horse and its rider, both of whom were concealed by shadows. As the realization hit him, he quickly shouted in Eltharin to the rider, he heard a feminine voice call back to him and he swiftly ascended the hill.

From the shadows stepped out a slender, armored matron clad in an ornate breastplate of silver and gold which was stylized with galloping horses, she wore long, robe-like sleeves of white and yellow cloth with golden bracers protecting her forearms. Her legs were clothed in trousers of white silk with another silky white cloth of a coat-tail sticking from behind the bottom of her breastplate. The matron wore a golden sash around her waist which ended in a pair of long strips, she also wore a pair of fine reddish-brown leather riding boots with small round and highly decorated plates of silvery _Ithilmar_ to protect her knees. Finally among her apparel, he could see the matron's helm was stylized like that of a Pegasus with its wings unfurled and the horse head at the top.

The Matron carried in her hands a pale brown wooden bow with a golden filigree which glowed with a faint blue flame. He could see that upon her back, she bore a long-handled spear with thin green vines wrapping around the shaft with a lengthy tear drop shaped blade which softly glowed with a light blue flame as well. He then saw the golden cloak with the rune of Kurnous above the horn of a Unicorn's head. A Reaver Knight of Ellyrion! Khorieus thought with alarm, and one who was known to him.

'Khorieus?' came the confused voice of the matron who removed her winged helmet to reveal a fair-skinned _Asur_ woman of the same age as he, but with golden hair and eyes as blue as the waters of the Inner Sea. The Chracian removed his helmet; he himself could hardly believe his eyes.

'Illenya?' Khorieus said with surprise as he drew closer to the matron. The two _Asur_ were now merely a foot from each other, he could smell the green open plains of Ellyrion upon the matron. Illenya cautiously raised her hands to Khorieus, with her left touching his right shoulder and the back of her bare right hand brushing against his cheek. Khorieus soon followed with the same gesture, and he knew for certain that she was real.

'What are you doing here?' Illenya asked unable to hide her mixture of surprise, confusion and joy.

'I… I would ask you the same' Khorieus said as well he said feeling quite same. The two _Asur_ looked upon one another, as the sun was now held high, a stunned silenced passed for none could believe what each saw.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: If you are wondering about the High Elves keeping human servants and slaves thing, it is in the Warhammer Fantasy Novels by William King, Sword of Caledor and mentioned in Giant Slayer<strong>


	6. Yenlui

Standing upon the gentle slope of a grassy hill, Khorieus gazed in disbelief at the face of Illenya Naharynath. The Lady of the House of Naharynath, of Tor Elyr, Reaver Commander, Harbinger of Kurnous and one of the closest friends to the Chracian. Illenya's expression mirrored that of Khorieus for it had been nearly century since he had last seen her during Lord Eltharion's campaign into the heart of Naggaroth. They did not part ways in the best of terms when he had last spoken to her. While he had no regrets of what he had done during the campaign, it was very clear that Illenya did not approve of some of the things he did at the time.

Of course, all that had been nearly a century ago and the emotions which ran hot have had much time to cool. Now stuck in this other world, his heart had lifted at the sight of a fellow _Asur_, more so that it was one of whom he was very close to. He knew Illenya well enough that the feeling would be rather mutual in their current situation. Their stunned silence was broken by the Ellyrian who was the first speak as they still held each other in their hands.

'How did you get here?' Illenya asked, with her voice still full of curiosity and awe

'I was hunting a human sorcerer of the Changer of Ways' Khorieus said as he recounted the strange events which led him to this world 'The sorcerer had some sort of arcane scroll, he had then cast a spell which sent the both of us into the Aethyr'

Illenya's eyes widened in surprise and she said 'I was cast into the Aethyr as well, did you come upon a library of shifting colors where a Lord of Change awaited?' the question had alarmed Khorieus and he nodded in confirmation.

'I was' he said and then continued 'and I saw the sorcerer's very soul consumed by the daemon.' Illenya considered his words for a moment and Khorieus asked 'what of you, though? How did you end up being cast into the Aethyr as well?'

'I was investigating a Waystone which was being tampered with by a Hekartian cult' Illenya said, referring to the _Cytharai_ goddess Hekarti, Mistress of Magic and the dark mirror of the _Cadai_ god Hoeth, Lord of Wisdom.

'I showed the cultists no mercy' she said dourly, for in the past the _Asur_ had made the grave mistake of believing that cultists could be reformed, Khorieus himself understood this for he had personally seen to the purgation of many cultists across Ulthuan.

'And I assume that one of them, a leader perhaps had opened a portal?' Khorieus said as he was sure what came next

'Indeed' Illenya replied 'I have been upon this world for perhaps a week and six days now'. Khorieus was surprised to hear this, for it was roughly the same length of time he had been in this world.

'What had happened to you since then?' Khorieus asked once more with concern for his old comrade

'I was lost and confused at first, and Asfalrhan had been injured with sorcerous fire' Illenya said while referring to her horse. She then continued and recounted her own tale 'I was soon found by two hunters who took me back to their kin. They offered shelter and had used their magic to heal Asfalrhan, I could not believe it at first, but I was found by creatures which looked almost like us, but much smaller compared to _Asur_'

'They just took you in? Were they elves?' Khorieus asked, curious about the seemingly similar situation he had been in and yet he was intrigued as well by the mention of magic. He quickly then continued 'or at least what passes for elves within this world?'

'There is more to it really, but yes' Illenya said with a bit of surprise 'How did you know they were elves?'

'A long story, I promise to tell you later' Khorieus said 'sufficed to say I am travelling in the company of one these other elves, and I believe I may have found a way to get us home.'

'That is most excellent news!' Illenya exclaimed with relief in her voice, she then looked away for a moment and looked back to Khorieus.

'I need your help then old friend' she said 'six days ago, the hunters who had found me have gone missing. One I have already safely returned to his kin but the other still remains missing'

'Did these missing hunters have something to do with those dead creatures north of here?' Khorieus asked

'Yes' Illenya said 'From what I have learned they are called Darkspawn and that they spread some sort of… Taint upon world and the living' Khorieus suspicion was confirmed in regards to the corruption he felt earlier from the things.

Illenya then continued 'The one who still remains missing was taken by these creatures, and since then I have been following their tracks as well as the corruption they leave, the group I had slain earlier was a small war band and they did not have the remaining hunter with them, but I know where the others are'

'My axe is yours then' Khorieus said with a promise 'we will find this hunter and return him to safety, and then we shall travel together once more and find our way home'

'You have my deepest gratitude, _Fersai-Hinaan_' Illenya said with a grateful smile as she looked to him

Khorieus smiled back upon hearing the name which had been given to him by a most unusual of sources. He had not heard it in a very long time; it brought memories back of their time together.

'There is little need to thank for that which I give freely, _Wylanh-Sayehk' _Khorieus said with a smile. 'Is there anything I should know about with this missing hunter before we proceed?' Khorieus asked. Illenya nodded and replied

'According to one of the Mages of the hunter's kin, a Keeper as they are called, the Taint spread by these Darkspawn causes agony, madness and mutation' Illenya said with worry.

It seemed that there was now a strong possibility that they would have to mercy-kill this hunter in the event that he was too far gone with corruption. Khorieus could see in the Ellyrian's eyes that she too had already come to the same conclusion as he did, that they may have to put this missing hunter out of his misery.

* * *

><p>Humming a jaunty little tavern song as the cool waters of the Drakon River washed over her naked body. Kallian felt good to finally get all that dirt and grime off of her, as well as her gear. She had honestly been surprised that the bandits who attacked them a few days earlier actually had a pristine and quaint bar of soap on a rope amongst their belongings. Either they had just hit some wealthy merchants or were not the kind to go out bathing often.<p>

Regardless, it felt good to finally just get cleaned. She wondered where Khorieus went, probably out foraging again or hunting for animals. She was sure, or at least she thought she was that the warrior had been joking in a dry sort of way about the implication of him using that magic cloak of his to watch her. After several minutes of bathing and just enjoying the calm waters, she lazily rose from the shore and went towards their camp.

Kallian then began drying herself with a linen quilt they had found amongst the bandits. She hoped that by the time it dried, she could find somewhere to sell it for the linens seemed to be of a good quality. As she finished drying herself, she went for her pack and picked up the dress she taken nearly a week earlier in Denerim, she did not know why she didn't discard it. In hindsight, if she had just stuck to wearing it and not switched to her armor and weapons, she would not have gotten chased around in the city.

Then again, they were in a dangerous part of town so it seemed liked being equipped with weapons and armor was a good idea at the time. Well too late for regrets now she thought as she began putting on the dress. Her armor was still drying after she had cleaned it with some soap and water; thank the Maker for that, because it was really starting to smell. She had noted that the armor was a bit big for her, thankfully though it just needed a small bit of adjustments here and there among its straps.

If Kallian didn't know any better though, it seemed like it would have been a perfect for the average size of a human man. She was still curious about how Khorieus gotten it, he had vaguely been insistent that he "earned it". For all Kallian knew, the warrior could have just killed some random person and taken it off of the corpse, not that killing people and taking their stuff was problem to her. She herself did it on occasion and was sure a lot of adventurers and mercenaries did the same.

Looking around, Kallian was really starting to wonder where Khorieus was. While there were a few trees spread out, here and there, she mostly just saw hills, grass, dirt and the blue sky above. With a shrug, she lay down by the campfire upon the grassy ground with her crossbow right next to her; she placed her hands behind her head and figured that she could do with a nap for the two of them had been traveling for days on end.

Enjoying the warm sun and the relative calmness of local area, Kallian had to admit that she was starting to get used to travelling about. She always wanted to leave the Denerim and the Alienage and see the world, funny though that she had often suspected she eventually would as an outlaw. She supposed that if she lay low for maybe a few weeks or months, she could easily sneak back into the Alienage; it was not like the guards had the best track record.

As she dozed off into a quiet nap, she soon heard the distant thunder of a horse in full gallop. She quickly opened her eyes, was it the Templars? Were they still chasing both Khorieus and she? Picking up her crossbow, she began pointing the weapon around and trying to find the horse. As she scanned the terrain, she saw something which was moving fast, she tried to get a better look but it appeared as blur in her vision. Not quite sure what it was, she pointed her crossbow at it.

'Kallian cease!' shouted the sudden voice of Khorieus.

Quickly lowering her crossbow, she looked northwest of her position and saw the silvery armored warrior who was not far away in the distance. Looking back to the moving blur, she saw that it began to… change, the image of it began to become clearer and in a few seconds she could clearly see what it was. She saw a magnificent white horse clad in silvery scale armor which reflected the light of the sun. Upon its head was a gilded armored plate, almost like a helmet with a bright ruby studded upon whatever one called a horse's equivalent to a person's forehead.

Upon the horse, she saw a slender warrior clad in a breastplate of silver and gold, its design was similar to that of Khorieus' own. She quickly realized that the rider was another _Asur_, another High Elf like Khorieus. The horse slowed its pace and soon came to a stop a mere four feet away from Kallian, at a closer look at the rider, she was surprised to see that it was a fair-skinned woman with blue eyes.

She saw that the _Asur_ woman carried a spear upon her back and a bow in hand, curiously though she noted the bow did not have a string. The _Asur_ woman gave Kallian a curt nod before looking towards Khorieus of whom arrived a few seconds after the horse and its rider stopped. Khorieus nodded towards the woman and looked back to Kallian who quickly asked

'Who is this?' Kallian said to Khorieus as she could not help but look with a measure of awe towards the rider 'Is she another _Asur_ like you? Kallian added.

'Indeed _mornah_' Khorieus nodded and he began to speak with gravitas 'This is Lady Illenya of the House of Naharynath, a Reaver Captain of Tor Elyr, Capital of Ellyrion, of Ulthuan… and also one of my oldest and closest of friends'

'_Andaran atish'an Falon' _said the _Asur_ woman in what seemed to be a greeting, Illenya graciously gave Kallian a respectful bow of her head, surprisingly even her horse bowed its head as well to Kallian.

'uhh… hello…' Kallian said a bit awkwardly, and completely understanding nothing of what the woman said.

She noted Khorieus glancing curiously at the woman when she spoke. Her words were different compared to the language Khorieus often used, the one which he called Eltharin and yet there was a similar sound to it. But there was something oddly familiar about it as well, as if she should know.

The _Asur_ woman tilted her head slightly; she placed her left hand upon her chin for a moment and tried to speak once more.

'Hello… there… friend…' said the _Asur_ woman rather slowly and awkwardly, Kallian could see a measure of disdain upon the _Asur's_ expression as she spoke the words. Khorieus then began speaking to the woman in _Eltharin_, Kallian heard her name amidst the conversation and she guessed that he was introducing her.

Khorieus then looked back to Kallian and spoke 'I have agreed to assist Lady Illenya in finding one of your people _mornah_, you may stay here for now and I shall return or you may follow us'.

'One of my people?' Kallian asked with curiosity, was this Illenya traveling with another Alienage dweller? Well whatever the reason, Kallian sure was not planning on missing out on whatever was going on. For all she knew, they might be coming back much later and she did not fancy the idea of being alone in the wilds when night came.

'Yes, another of your people' Khorieus said with a nod

'Well I am not staying here alone until it gets dark, so I will go' Kallian said as she hefted her crossbow in both hands for emphasis.

Khorieus nodded in approval and he said something to the _Asur_ woman who nodded back and she rode off. Kallian then went near the campfire where she had set her armor in a neat pile. She had cleaned her armor earlier with some water and a ragged cloak she had taken from the bandits. Asking for Khorieus to turn away once more, she removed her dress and began putting the set of studded leather armor on.

When she had finished, she gathered her pack and her weapons, she then looked to Khorieus and nodded. The warrior nodded back and he led the way.

* * *

><p>Having taken the lead, Khorieus followed the tracks of Asfalrhan across the plains and hills. By his guess from what he memorized from the map, they should be close to a region called the Bannorn. He had asked the Elder of the Alienage about it before and had learned that it was a region which was constantly riddled with strife. Where human warlords constantly fought and feuded amongst each other, it reminded Khorieus of the Border Princes east of The Empire. Throughout their entire run, he could feel the corruptive Taint from these Darkspawn creatures.<p>

'So who is this woman anyway?' Panted Kallian as she ran and tried to keep up with him.

'A very dear and close friend' Khorieus said as he easily maintained his pace 'I have known Lady Illenya for more than five hundred years, we have fought in more than a hundred battles alongside each other and have faced countless foes together.'

'Are… are the two of you close?' Kallian asked as she continued to pant and run

'It will be difficult to explain _mornah_, but yes we are very close' Khorieus replied 'She has saved my life on many occasions, just as I have saved hers, we are… a _Senthanos.'_

As the Chracian continued to run and follow the hoof prints of the horse, his mind cycled through what words he had learned of the Thedan common language. He could not find the words to accurately describe the concept of a _Senthanos_ to Kallian.

As the two of them continued to run, they soon found Illenya and Asfalrhan upon a hill with a somewhat steep slope; she looked back to them and waved. Cresting the hill with Kallian panting, Khorieus saw in the distance what seemed to be a small human fortress, it had four thick stone walls which was shaped into a square. He could also see four guard towers, and a keep in the center.

Oddly, he saw that the gates were open and several spiked wooden barricades were set up at the front. From the air itself, he could smell the corruption of those... darkspawn. Upon the walls, he could see the mutilated corpses of humans impaled upon long pikes, their bodies left to fester in the wind; at least they knew what happened to the fortress's previous occupants.

'What is your plan _Wylanh-Sayehk? _Asked Khorieus in Eltharin as he looked up to Illenya who studied the fortress with a critical eye.

They had no idea how many of these Darkspawn creatures lay within, they had no knowledge of its interior, if they had any sorcerers, as well as any possible cavalry capabilities.

'I will draw their attention _Fersai-Hinaan_' came Illenya's reply in Eltharin as well 'Call upon the Grey Wind and conceal yourself from sight, then head towards the main entrance.'

'As you wish, _Wylanh-Sayehk'_ Khorieus said. Illenya looked down to Khorieus and she gave him a slight smile, it would be like old times he thought.

Raising her bow which was carried upon her right hand and bearing no string, Illenya whispered a word of power and blue runes quick appeared upon her weapon. The blue runes glowed brighter and in a moment, her bow was wreathed with azure fire, a string of pure flame appeared, connecting each end of the bow, and in Illenya's left hand, a shaft of fire appeared. Khorieus heard the gasp of surprise from Kallian as the enchantments upon Illenya's bow, _Lecaihain_ The Light that brings Eternal Sleep, had awakened.

With soft command to Asfalrhan, Illenya swiftly galloped towards the east wall of the fortress.

Khorieus then looked to Kallian and said in a commanding tone 'Stay put _mornah_, I will signal you upon the wall when you may enter'

Kallian looked to him, clearly not pleased 'I can fight you know' she said with mild indignation, and yet at the same time he picked up a hint of hesitance at the sight of fortress.

'I know you can _mornah_, but please wait for my signal, and then you may join us' Khorieus said before turning his back upon Kallian. Quickly looking towards the fortress, he called upon the now replenished magic of the Grey Wind within his cloak, disappearing from mortal sight once more, he advanced towards the fortress.

* * *

><p>As Asfalrhan whose wounds were now healed from the poultices she had applied carried her closer, Illenya sighted down upon one of the taller Darkspawn creatures on the walls. It began gibbering to its kin and pointed its bow at her, before it could draw an arrow from its quiver; the Ellyrian Harbinger fired a flaming arrow which flew straight and true into the creature's heart. Feeling the rush of energy from her bow, she felt comforting warmth of another arrow materializing upon her hand. Pulling the bowstring of blue flame, she quickly launched another arrow which struck down another of the Darkspawn.<p>

Her loathing for the creatures had intensified when she thought of what horrors they could be subjecting towards the missing hunter. With a whispered promise to the Bloody Handed God, she swore that if she could not save him, then her vengeance towards these creatures would equal that which began The War in Heaven. Strafing around the fortress as the enchantments upon her armor caused the very image of the Ellyrian and her horse to distort, arrows and crossbow bolts flew wide as she raced around the fortress and fired more of her flaming arrows.

Judging by the current response of these Darkspawn, she guessed that either there was only a small force occupying the fortress, or perhaps there were simply more inside. Leading Asfalrhan to curve behind the fortress, she saw no arrows shooting at her, her noble steed swiftly carried her around the back of the fortress until she saw the western side. She heard a loud and familiar roar like lions of the north, for a quick moment, Illenya remembered the battle for Finuval Plains and the desperate charge both she and Khorieus had been part of.

Illenya remembered how she had led her Ellyrian Reavers and Silver Helms into the flanks of the _Druchii_ army. They rode side by side with the Silver Helms and Lion Chariots of Chrace; she remembered seeing Khorieus leading the charge of his countrymen, with axe in held in one hand and pointing towards the enemy. He had proudly ridden upon his chariot alongside Laneleis of whom masterfully wielded a bow, and the one driving the chariot was Khorieus' second, Captain Eolanir Sunmane. After the moment of nostalgia had passed and her mind returned to the current battle at hand, she saw a Darkspawn fall off the wall, its body bifurcated as it descended.

'The wall is clear!' shouted Khorieus in Eltharin, she saw him wave his axe towards the hill they had stopped upon earlier.

Illenya quickly noted that the axe was now wreathed in the fire of _Qhaysh_; it seemed someone has been quite busy over the century Illenya thought, for such an enchantment would not be very easy to financially acquire.

Although she could not forget the atrocity that Khorieus had perpetrated, there was simply too much history between she and her old _Senthanos_. A long history of shared experiences and hardships, a history that lasted through the centuries, a history which forged a deep bond between them, one she had hoped remained unchanged through the passing of years. She had come to regret what she said to him before they parted ways.

Illenya had in time, hoped that she could fix things between herself and Khorieus, but he had been so very difficult to find in those years. When this battle was over and the hunter was safe or avenged, she promised that she would finally finish something which she had been meaning to do for nearly a century.

* * *

><p>Watching as Illenya strafed the east side of the fortress while firing burning arrows, Khorieus quietly jogged towards the gate with his axe in both hands. He easily passed by the barricades of sharpened wooden spikes and entered through the open gates.<p>

Inside, the corruption he had sensed was much stronger, at the center of the fortress courtyard, he saw what seemed to once have been a fountain, but strange and disgusting fleshy growths were spreading upon and around the fountain. The mutilated and decapitated bodies of human soldiers were nailed to the walls or crude wooden totems across the fortress. If one were to add arcane sigils which would be painful to look upon, he would almost feel like being back on his own world.

The main keep ahead of him still seemed to be in good condition, but he could see that its doors were wide open; he noted that it looked as if they were opened from the inside. Going right where several of the stunted orc-looking creatures and their taller kin were climbing the stairs up to the walls, he saw that many of them were armed with bows and crossbows. Waiting for the last of the creatures to ascend, he soon followed one of the short ones, with a silent prayer to Khaine he quickly brought his axe up over his head and he brought it down in a downwards chop.

His axe swiftly split the monster's head and splattered the High Elf with some of its foul blood which touched his face and it burned upon contact. Hissing with pain, he noticed his amulet began to glow warmly; he guessed that whatever corruption these things carried, it was especially potent within their blood. Mentally offering a word of gratitude towards Isha, he quickly ascended the stairs while ignoring the burn; the enchantments upon his cloak were disrupted by his strike and now he was visible.

One of the taller monsters noticed Khorieus, before it could call to its kin or raise its weapon, the High Elf swung his axe towards its lower legs and he severed the thing from between its knee plate and the spiked armor which protected the side its calves. The Darkspawn roared in pain as it rolled down from the stairs and Khorieus disdainfully ascended over its body. Near the top of the flight of stairs, one of the shorter creatures appeared with a loaded crossbow aimed at him, swiftly lowering his head and concealing his exposed face, he heard the clack of the crossbow unloading.

The bolt struck Khorieus upon his helmet; he felt the impact as the projectile painfully knocked his head back. The runes upon the _ithilmar_ helmet glowed brightly in defiance, he grit his teeth in rage and did not break his pace. With a swift single-handed thrust from his right hand, he loosened the grip of his axe and allowed the momentum to carry it forwards, the head of the axe plunged into the creature's face with the blunt tip of the shaft striking the short thing's nose and the top of the axe blade tearing into its throat, the fatally wounded creature was knocked over the ledge behind it and it fell with its blood spattering the walls. He then quickly tightened his grip as the shaft was about to leave his hand and retracted in a single fluid motion.

Now at the top of the ramparts, he quickly saw only a little more than a dozen of the hideous creatures. The ones closest to him quickly switched to swords, axes and maces and began to advance towards the warrior. Roaring the command word of his axe, the weapon ignited and he charged towards the nearest of the Darkspawn.

The ramparts proved to be excellent terrain for Khorieus, there was plenty of space for him to swing his weapon and yet not enough to make it easy for the Darkspawn to attempt to flank him. Focusing on attacking them with wide swings, he cleaved through the chest of two of the taller ones and he thrust his armored right knee into the face of one of the smaller Darkspawn which attempted to flank him. He felt the impact as his knee broke many of the smaller orc-like Darkspawn's teeth; the creature was knocked back by the blow before the High Elf ended its life by splitting its skull from crown to jaw in a mess of blood and brain matter.

Quickly making short work of the rest of the Darkspawn on the walls, he killed the last one by perfectly severing it in half; the momentum of his axe threw both halves of the tall creature off of the parapets. Seeing that the wall was clear, he heard the hooves of Asfalrhan and he looked down to see Illenya riding from west side of the fortress. Shouting to the Ellyrian Lady in Eltharin that the wall was now clear upon the wall, he began waving his axe towards the hill where Kallian was.

Looking back to the keep, he saw several more of the Darkspawn emerge from the gates, among them was a large warrior in yellowed plates with a horned helmet wielding a scimitar like-sword and shield. The lead one was accompanied by several of the other tall and short ones. Grunting in disdain, he quickly set his axe upon the ramparts rail of the wall and he pulled out his bow.

As the large group of Darkspawn dispersed and headed towards Khorieus, he quickly reached for an arrow from his quiver. Placing the arrow to the string and seeing the arcane rime begin to appear over the arrow-head, he let loose an arrow and quickly grabbed for another one and fired. Soon one of the tall ones fell with an arrow to the eye, another of its kin was swiftly slain and one of the shorter ones which wielded a bow fell with an arrow to the chest. Placing another arrow to the bowstring, he continued to fire more and more arrows.

* * *

><p>Quickly running down the hill, after seeing Khorieus signal, Kallian sprinted towards the fortress gate. Oh what in the Maker's name am I doing? Kallian thought with disbelief towards herself, attacking a fortress from the front gates with who knows how many soldiers inside? She regretted having said that she would join in with this madness; had she known what they were going to do, she would have stayed back at the camp.<p>

As she advanced towards the fortress, she saw the _Asur_ woman gallop back and forth from the sides of the entrance and continue to shoot bolts of fire. Kallian had never seen any display of magic like that before, then again Kallian herself was hardly an expert in the ways of magic her only experience with seeing it were mages who were using their magic to entertain crowds and that one mage who nearly froze her to death.

The _Asur_ woman then dismounted and made her way past the wooden barricades with her spear in both hands. From the walls, Kallian could see several people moving across it and bodies falling. As Kallian drew closer, her heart began to beat faster and louder in her chest, she dearly wanted to run away from this insanity for she could see the bodies impaled upon pikes at the walls. She began to sweat uncontrollably as fear and doubt began course through her thoughts.

She really… really wanted to run away now. The one thing which stopped her though was the thought of disapproval from Khorieus or to be considered a coward, especially after agreeing to join them. Even from a distance, she could see that the fort's current occupants had come out in full force to meet them; she saw a number of them fall and then they dispersed.

She soon began to hear a monstrous deep roar and grunting sounds from the walls, she saw another corpse get knocked off the wall and it landed upon one of the spiked wooden barricades, its body lay impaled as its head hanged down with mouth wide open. At first she thought it was a man, but to her horror, she saw that it was some hideous creature with mottled and yellowish skin, its teeth were sharp and she could see that its grey eyes which seemed almost too human begin to roll up. The creature was surely dead for its throat had been torn out and blood cascaded down from it.

What in the Maker's name was that thing!? Kallian thought with horror. She looked about to that more of the bodies which had fallen were not human; each was some sort of nightmarish creature she had never seen before. Moving towards the courtyard with her daggers equipped, Kallian stopped to see what lay before her. For a moment, Kallian was horrified to see the headless and ruined corpses nailed to the walls, blood had matted the stone masonry and pooled underneath.

She saw the strange… pustule-like growths upon the grounds of what was once a fountain, around the fountain she saw the mass of meaty… things which grew as well. For a moment, Kallian could not help but stare at the horrific scene around her. Hearing a loud monstrous roar to her right, Kallian saw a pair of short and burly greenish-skinned creatures with sharp teeth. Each was clad in a sort of leather armor with spikes upon it and each wielded twin daggers, both were swiftly moving towards her. Quickly adopting a defensive stance, Kallian quickly banished the horror she felt and steeled herself for the oncoming monsters.

One of the short things thrust its daggers forwards while its kin attempted to flank Kallian's left. Leaping back and barely avoiding impalement, she thrust her dagger towards the monster to her left in a reverse grip, her dagger was parried upwards by the creature with its own right dagger and its left dagger was swiftly moving towards Kallian's hip. With a quick turn to her right, Kallian barely dodged the cruel looking blade and she slashed her right dagger across the monster's thick neck.

Blood spurted out from the wound and she hissed in pain as it made contact with her bare fingers. Ignoring the pain, she then leapt forwards to put some distance between her and the other short monster. With a roll upon the meaty ground, she quickly got up and tried to ignore the deep disgust which welled up within her.

Focusing on the monster, she saw knock its head back and roar savagely before attacking her. Running towards the creature, with her daggers now both held in a reverse grip, the monster thrust one of its own daggers forward. Parrying the dagger with her own left dagger, Kallian swiftly delivered high sweeping kick into monster's face and its head was knocked to the side from the impact. Quickly taking advantage of the monster's momentary daze, Kallian swiftly plunged her red steel dagger up its face.

As the creature's eyes rolled up, she pulled her dagger out and she looked at the creatures with a growing sense of confidence. They bled and died like any other being she thought. Looking behind her, she could see that upon the ramparts, Khorieus and the _Asur_ woman were above the gate and surrounded, yet even from the ground; Kallian could see the many bodies of monsters around them.

She saw the _Asur_ woman holding up her blazing spear in both hands and she kept spinning and turning both her weapon and her body in a very dance like fashion. She saw Khorieus continue to fight in his usual style, and yet Kallian could see the amazing degree of teamwork between them. She saw the _Asur_ woman swing her spear one-handed across the gut of one of the monsters, another one of its kin pressed the attack as the _Asur_ woman suddenly spun and turned her back upon the other monster, her spear quickly shot forwards and impaled a different one which was not far away behind Khorieus. The monster which had tried to attack the _Asur_ woman from behind was quickly beheaded with a swing of Khorieus axe.

The two _Asur_ continued to spin and switch places, each of them swinging their weapons in wide arcs or thrusting forwards in the _Asur_ woman's case or a chop from Khorieus own. It was like watching a well choreographed dance, their precision was just perfect, and they seemed to know exactly where the other one would be. They protected each other's flanks and continued to keep switching place, she even saw Khorieus spin and cut the legs off of one of the creatures, he then switched places again with Illenya and she plunged her spear into the downed monster before parrying a sword and she quickly disengaged whilst Khorieus proceeded to drive his axe into the side of Illenya's attacker.

As Kallian watched the mesmerizing dance, she heard a loud roar from behind she felt the very ground begin to tremble. Looking to the entrance of the keep, she saw a massive monstrosity with dark red and purplish skin, it had two arms and two legs, its body was heavily muscled, upon its head the beast had massive horns which swept back. The massive beast wore a semblance of armor, upon its right arm it wore a crude metal pauldron, and around its wrists it wore spiked plates of armor. At a closer look, Kallian could see that the red of its color was blood, its mouth, its teeth and much of its chest and hands were covered in fresh gore.

The massive beast pounded its chest and it roared in challenge at them, Kallian looked back to the two who were still fighting a small number of the remaining monsters. Quickly sprinting to her left, Kallian was moving towards a flight of stairs, he heard the loud crash as the massive thing shattered the fountain with a single back handed sweep. Stone and debris rained across the side of the courtyard as the monster drew closer.

* * *

><p>Cutting down the last Darkspawn with his axe, Khorieus was a bit disappointed from the slaughter. The creatures had proven to be as pathetic as a common rabble of Beastmen; the lead one with the horned helmet though had proven to be a better fighter. It had been able to block his axe, and parry a spear thrust from Illenya, but it was quickly cut down as Khorieus drove his axe upon it neck.<p>

Already having heard and seen the great beast which had been coming towards them, Khorieus looked over his right shoulder to see Illenya was looking back at him. With a mutual nod, they quickly ran towards the opposite staircases by the ramparts. On Khorieus' way, he saw Kallian climb up, he gave her a brief glance before quickly going down the stair case, and he saw the massive Darkspawn stop to look at the two of them, a moment of indecision passed before it decided to go for Illenya.

Quickening his pace as he descended the stairs, his feet touched upon the bloody stone ground which had yet to be covered in the fleshy mass. His gaze quickly fell upon the massive horned Darkspawn which thrust its right hand forwards to grab Illenya, the Ellyrian swiftly dodged the beast's hand and she drove her spear into monster's hip and a crossbow bolt from Kallian struck its waist and near where the heart should be. Running into a full sprint, Khorieus roared the name of the Bloody Handed God as the beast continued to attempt at catching Illenya.

As he drew closer, he saw another crossbow bolt fly towards its exposed left shoulder, Khorieus then leapt forwards with all of his might, he continued to roar as he soared through the air. With axe held over his head he buried the burning weapon into the beast's spine, the Darkspawn arched its back and raised its head up as it roared in agony, and leaving its entire front exposed. Illenya swiftly took advantage and thrust her spear into the beast's left breast and into its very heart, the spear head burst out from the back of the beast, its point was rather close to Khorieus.

As the massive Darkspawn's roar turned into a whimper, it began to fall towards Illenya who swiftly pulled out her spear and disengaged from the monster's path. With Khorieus still on its back the creature crashed faced first into the ground with a tremor. Feeling rather good at the change of having slain a different foe over men, Khorieus looked to Illenya and smiled, the Ellyrian smiled to him as well. Indeed, the Chracian thought, it was just like old times.

'You have certainly improved _Fersai-Hinaan_' Illenya said in Eltharin while lightly panting as she smiled towards him 'let us find who we seek and be rid of this foul place'.

'We should cleanse this place with fire _Wylanh-Sayehk_' Khorieus said panting as well as he took a quick look around the ruined fortress. They they knew not what damage this corruption could cause, unchecked, often the best solution would come with fire.

'I know _Fersai-Hinaan_' Illenya softly replied 'but please, let us stick to our purpose of coming here first.'

Nodding towards the Ellyrian who then went off towards the keep, Khorieus looked to Kallian and he called for her to come over. He watched Kallian descend from the ramparts; he could see from the distance that she was carrying her crossbow. As Kallian came close he was relieved that she seemed unharmed

'Are you all right _mornah_?' Khorieus asked

'What in the Maker's name were those things?' Kallian asked with a quiet mixture of disbelief and horror as she looked upon the massive dead beast

'According to Lady Illenya, they are called Darkspawn' he said 'Do you know anything about them?'

'Darkspawn!?' Kallian replied with surprise 'but they were defeated centuries ago! How could they be here?'

'I know not mornah' Khorieus said 'for this is the first time I have even heard of or encountered such things.'

The Chracian then turned towards the entrance of the keep; gesturing for Kallian to follow him, the two cautiously advanced as they followed Illenya. As they drew closer, Khorieus could smell a charnel stench from inside, covering his nose with his cloak, he looked back to see Kallian picking up the hem of his cloak and she did the same.

At the entrance, they saw Illenya standing still she looked back to Khorieus with a hard look upon her face. Knowing what that meant, he steeled himself for what was to come, when they stopped at the entrance, Khorieus could not help but feel a deep level of disgust and loathing at what lay within. He heard Kallian gasp in horror, for what lay before them was an abbatoir. The headless bodies of many of the fort's original occupants were crucified and nailed to crude wooden totems, at the center was defiled statue of a woman, the statue was covered with mutilated organs and blood and around its feet it was surrounded by the piled heads of humans and the elves of this world.

While Khorieus and Illenya were unfazed by this, the Chracian looked to Kallian who gazed with wide eyed horror upon the bloody spectacle. 'Kallian' Khorieus said a bit loudly and trying to catch her attention, she broke her gaze and looked towards him with eyes that will never forget such a sight.

'You should go outside and keep watch for us _mornah_' Khorieus said with more than a hint of concern.

'I… I will be fine' Kallian said.

The three of them moved further into the fortress to search for this hunter. Khorieus and Kallian had split off into one group while Illenya searched on her own, the Chracian was confident that the Ellyrian would be fine. Searching within the keep, Khorieus and Kallian found no more of the Darkspawn or any survivors from the original occupants. They had found a few locked doors which Kallian had opened by picking the locks; in one room which was filled with a charnel stench, they found had a man who looked to have been dead for a week, it seemed that the dead man had slit his own throat.

Another room they checked, seemed to be an armory of sorts, while most of it was ransacked, Khorieus did find a few extra quivers of arrows and crossbow bolts for Kallian and he. As they continued to search while constantly keeping their guard up in case there were more Darkspawn, they eventually ran into Illenya who was trying to open a heavy door of iron which was dented and scratched and clearly locked. Already the Ellyrian Lady had raised her burning spear up to strike the barrier.

Khorieus then called to Illenya and asked for her to cease, she looked towards Khorieus and lowered her weapon. Taking a step back, Illenya allowed Kallian to pick the lock, soon hearing a click; Kallian pushed the door open with a satisfied nod. As the heavy iron door slowly screeched open, ahead of them was a dark and musty hall. Khorieus could see that upon the sides of the hall, there were several empty square shaped spaces with iron bars which formed a barrier, a prison.

The smell was of and odious mélange of sweat, excrement and other bodily wastes hung in the air. Cautiously moving into the prison and they searched the cells and found nothing but rotted hay mattresses and rats. Despite the dark, each of them were able to search the cells quite easily for it seemed that both the _Asur_ and Kallian's people were gifted with a natural form of night vision. As they searched, Khorieus heard the faint sound of someone groaning, Illenya quickly ran off and both he and Kallian followed.

They soon stopped at a cell where Khorieus grunted in disgust as he picked up the fetid smell of an infected wound. Illenya quickly reached for the handle of cell's door of iron bars, it was unlocked as the Ellyrian pulled it open and she quickly went inside. There they found the hunter of whom Illenya had been seeking; he lay upon the filthy stone floor in a fetal position.

The hunter was a tattooed male elf who was blonde of hair and with skin of an unhealthily pale pallor. The hunter was wearing a set of leather armor which looked to be made from deerskin and embossed with images of hunting hawks and serpents. The hunter groaned once more and Khorieus tightened his grip upon his axe, he remembered from Illenya that the corruption spread by these Darkspawn caused agony, madness and mutation. Illenya called to the hunter as she said _Da'len_.

The hunter stirred as he heard her voice, he weakly looked up to them, Khorieus could see the blood which pooled around the hunter's left thigh. The Chracian could see the now blood-soaked bandage which covered the festering wound, and yet Khorieus could feel the corruption within the hunter's veins. In the hunter's eyes, he could see the pain and agony caused by the corruption from the Darkspawn as well as the fever from the infection.

'Maker's Breath' muttered Kallian as she looked towards the injured hunter. Her eyes lingered upon the hunter and she finally spoke 'I think he is one of the Dalish' she said with a bit of awe in her voice.

Khorieus remembered hearing a little about these wandering elves during his time in the Alienage. From what he had heard, they were either wandering noble folk who lived close to nature or predatory bandits who preyed upon the weak. The idea of them reminded him too much of those shortsighted, backwards, wood elf bumpkins back in the Old World, Khorieus was soon forced to remind himself that these were a different people and not the irresponsible deserters and secessionists he disdained.

Illenya knelt over the hunter and cradled his head over her lap, the Ellyrian felt his forehead and she looked to Khorieus. 'He is burning up' Illenya said in Eltharin, Khorieus nodded and set down his axe, he then removed the amulet of Isha around his neck and handed it to Illenya. The Ellyrian lady thanked him and placed it around the hunter's neck, she began whispering a desperate prayer to the Mother Goddess and the amulet began to glow brightly.

Khorieus then set his pack down and he began searching for his case of elixirs. Among them were some rather potent alchemical formulas he kept in the event that he may have been seriously injured or possibly infected with something during his travels. He had purchased the elixirs in Lothern before leaving Ulthuan, each were supposedly brewed by master alchemists from the White Tower of Hoeth. In the past, Khorieus had seen their effectiveness in battling the plagues and corruption of Nurgle as well as the poisons of the _Druchii_ and the Skaven.

Finding the leather case, he gently removed one of the few remaining elixirs, he then handed it to Illenya who studied the label and was surprised. The elixirs, as well as the rest of his gear honestly could have been enough to pay for the training, equipment and wages of an army. Illenya gave Khorieus a thankful look and she began trying to coax the hunter to consume it, soon enough she managed to pour the elixir over the hunter's lips as she positioned his head properly to help it go down.

After a few moments of waiting for the elixir to take its affect, along with healing magic of Khorieus amulet, the hunter suddenly began to spasm and convulse. He began to make gasping sounds as his eyes opened and rolled up and bloody foam began to appear upon his mouth. Illenya called the hunter's name with alarm, Khorieus could hear the dread in her voice as she begged in Eltharin for the hunter not to die.

Khorieus looked to see the stunned horror in Kallian's face as the hunter continued to convulse as Illenya tried to hold him down. Illenya then quickly rolled the hunter off of her lap and positioned him to face down towards the stone floor. Illenya quickly asked Khorieus to help the hunter to his knees and the Chracian obeyed.

Kneeling beside the hunter and holding him up by the stomach, Illenya grabbed a handful of the back of the hunter's hair and she began rubbing him on the back. The hunter then began to vomit a disgusting mixture of bile, blood, and to Khorieus' surprise, the corruption that lay within. As soon as the hunter stopped vomiting, Khorieus could not help feel the disgust over the fetid smell within the cell as even Kallian herself went to the side and lost it as well.

When it was all over the hunter became still, his breathing quickly became stable as the amulet still worked its healing magic over him.

'Is he okay?' Kallian said as she breathed heavily and wiped her mouth with the back of her wrist

'I think so _mornah_' Khorieus replied as he looked to her. Or at least he hoped so.

* * *

><p>After the episode at the cell, Khorieus and Kallian left the cell with Illenya carrying the hunter. Making it back to the courtyard of the fortress with no more Darkspawn to harass them, they found the late afternoon sun was comforting for the three as they emerged from the darkness. While Khorieus still thought that they should burn the place, they could not find anything they could use to set the entire fortress ablaze. During their search earlier, they had found a tunnel under a cellar which led underground, both Khorieus and Illenya concluded that these Darkspawn creatures must have used it to enter the fortress.<p>

Illenya had called her horse and she set the unconscious hunter upon Asfalrhan's back. The party then made it back to the original campsite of Khorieus and Kallian by the river. Their travel occurred without incident, when they arrived back at their camp, they proceeded to wash out the foul burning blood which stained their garments. They each changed into new sets of garments with Khorieus putting on his simple white and red silk archer's uniform, Illenya changed into a set of soft leather garments commonly used by hunters in Ulthuan, and finally there was Kallian who changed into the garments she had acquire in Denerim.

They had also removed the filthy armor off of the hunter, of which had also become odorous. It was fortunate that during their search, Kallian had taken a number of surprisingly clean sets of spare clothes, one of which had been used to cloth the hunter. When they had finished changing, Khorieus asked Kallian if she could watch the hunter. She agreed a bit hesitantly and then both Illenya and the Chracian went off in search of wood to burn and food for the coming night.

* * *

><p>Looking up to a lone elm tree, Khorieus quietly began to pray to Isha and Kurnous. When he had finished, he climbed up the tree with his axe upon his back and settled upon a low hanging branch. Pulling out his axe, he began chopping the branch until the section ahead of him fell with a snap and a crash of leaves. He then descended from the branch and quietly began to chop the now fallen branch into logs which they would use for a fire.<p>

As he quietly worked, he heard from behind the hoof steps of Asfalrhan upon the earth. Casting his gaze towards the horse, he saw Illenya carrying in her right hand, _Lecaihain_ which now had a bowstring of catgut attached to it. He could also see that she carried four dead hares tied to a stick which rested upon her left shoulder; the Ellyrian gave him a warm smile and spoke.

'You have my gratitude once more _Fersai-Hinaan_' Illenya said warmly, Khorieus stopped his work and he smiled back to her

'You can always count upon my aid _Wylanh-Sayehk_' Khorieus said before going back to cutting the wood.

'I… I wanted to apologize' Illenya said a bit awkwardly 'For what I said to you all those years ago at Naggaroth'

'You were within your right' Khorieus said as he knelt down to pick up several chopped pieces of wood. 'What I had done was something I would have once been disgusted to see. But it was what the _Druchii_deserved, what they had brought upon themselves with their depravity'

'I realized that later' Illenya said a bit hesitantly 'it was justice… but it was a hard one to see. At the time, I had thought that you were becoming something terrible, like the _Druchii_'

'Many things have changed for me over the centuries' Khorieus said as he stowed his axe and hefted the chopped wood. He then began to walk towards the camp with Illenya following him upon horseback.

'And what of us?' Illenya asked.

Khorieus simply looked up and continued to smile back at her 'I understood your anger and your words _Wylanh-Sayehk_, I think that had I not heard it from you, I would have taken a much darker path and for that I thank you as well. My feelings for you, will always be as it has, Illenya'.

Silenced then passed as the two of them quietly walked back towards their camp by the river, he heard a soft sigh of relief and the Ellyrian smiled to him once more for no words were needed to be said amongst _Senthanos_.

* * *

><p>Staring into the fire as the sun began to set; Kallian's mind was full questions about today's events. She was very curious and at the same time horrified at the idea of there being a large force of Darkspawn around. Hopefully, they had just encountered a raiding party and nothing more for she had heard the stories of how horrible the Blights were. If there was a Blight coming though, then Maker help them all.<p>

She was also curious about the relationship between Khorieus and Illenya, they seemed to be very close. Were they somehow romantically involved? They mostly spoke to each other in their own language so she had no idea what they were often talking about. The idea of it made Kallian more than a bit jealous to her own surprise.

Then what about this Dalish fellow they had just rescued? What was his relationship between he and the _Asur_ woman? The _Asur_ woman seemed very close to the Dalish hunter, when Kallian looked at him, she had to admit that the hunter was rather handsome, especially with his intricate tattoos. With a shake of her head, Kallian quietly scolded herself.

What was she thinking!? She thought, she was supposed to be married now and with a husband waiting for her back in the Alienage. While she had only known Nelaros for a short time, she was highly impressed that he had gone out to rescue her as well as the other women. While Kallian did not like the idea of being a damsel in distress, it was touching that he would risk his life for someone he had just met. And yet the ceremony was ruined and so technically they are not really married yet, thus technically Kallian was still single.

As these thoughts coursed through her mind, she heard a series of coughs coming from the hunter. With eyes widening, she went towards the Dalish hunter and she knelt over him, she could her him whispering softly and she was forced to put her ear next to his lips.

'w-water…' he said with a hoarse voice

Quickly going for a waterskin left beside her pack, Kallian removed the stopper and went towards the Dalish hunter. Carefully lifting the Dalish hunter's head, she placed the drinking end to his lips and he began to eagerly drink. The Dalish hunter quickly drank the entire skin, his eyes slowly opened to reveal a pair of brown eyes which looked about as if he were in a daze.

'Are you all right?' Kallian asked with genuine concern towards the Dalish hunter. The hunter groaned and murmured something unintelligible; he then groaned and remained silent before speaking up.

'Where...' he asked weakly as he barely remained concious 'Where am I… Who are you?' With the Dalish hunter's head resting on her lap, Kallian hoped that he wasn't going to vomit again for he still looked rather pale.

'Kallian Tabris, of the Denerim Alienage' she said as she introduced herself 'don't worry your safe now'

'Th-Theron' he said as he struggled to speak 'Theron... Mahariel'

'Well nice to meet you then Theron Mahariel' Kallian said warmly as she could not help but smile a little at this meeting.

She had always wanted to see if the Dalish were real and like many Alienage elves, she had heard many stories about them. Considering all the strange surprises which had been happening lately, at least this she thought may be one of the few pleasant ones.

* * *

><p>Returning to the gates of Denerim with frustration eating at him, Jacob Darius looked back to his Templar and they too were sharing his feelings. For six days now the fugitive and his accomplice have disappeared into the forest, the trackers and hunters they hired proved to be ineffective in their hunt. One hunter claimed that they found only one set of tracks and not two, and it according to the hunter, it was as if the trail kept disappearing and reappearing while moving in random directions.<p>

Darius could hardly believe that they found only one set of tracks when they were clearly searching for two people, one especially of whom was clad in plate armor. After terminating the hunter's employment for such an unsatisfactory performance, the Templar and his comrades had searched the forest for nearly a week. Angry at the idea that the tracks may have gone cold and the fugitive had escaped justice, he returned to the chapterhouse in shame.

Later when he and his comrades made it back to the chapterhouse, one of the servants called to the Templar and informed him of a letter which had just arrived. One which was specifically for him and bearing the official seal of the Templar Order, his heart sank for there was a good chance that it was either a letter informing him of the dissatisfaction of his performance. Who wouldn't be? He had lost fifteen Templars and a Mage of the Circle in less than two weeks.

With a heavy sigh, he decided to get this out of the way first. He went towards his office where he found the letter upon his desk. Cutting the wax seal with a letter opener and unfolding the letter, it said:

_To Captain Darius of the Denerim Chapter_

_I have received word of your letter about the fugitive of whom was responsible for the deaths of several members of your Chapter and the son of the Arl Kendells. I would like to inform you that we have been having similar trouble with a fugitive with a rather similar description in the Bannorn. This individual has been responsible for the deaths of eight members of my Chapter as well as the aiding in the escape of a rogue mage en route to Aeonar. Said mage is a known associate to a Blood Mage and is considered extremely dangerous._

_I request for your presence as soon as possible for there may be a connection between the one you are seeking as well as the one we seek. Please reply as soon as possible. May the Maker watch over you._

_From Templar Captain Raonull_

_Acting commander of the Iron Keep_

Darius's eyes widened with disbelief. Could it be that the fugitive he was chasing had some other accomplice? Was he part of some group at large? Whatever was the case he needed to get to the bottom of this. Even if this other individual was not connected, it was his duty as a Templar to make sure this rogue mage is brought to justice. Maker's Breath he thought, he had a feeling, a strong instinctive feeling that this may be the lead he needed to end this case.


	7. Lathain

The crone watched with amusement as the raven moved one of its pieces across the board. The raven which now wore the form of a man clad in robes of feathers and it grinned towards her, challenging the crone to make her move. Moving another piece, the crone was able to remove one of the raven's pieces but in doing so she had lost the one she had moved. The raven's mood remained unchanged as its hand which was now a talon moved another piece.

The crone grinned for it was a smart move, no surprise for both were masters of the game. As the raven carefully looked amongst its pieces, its feathered hand gently hovered over another piece before switching to the one next to it. Picking up the piece and gently moving it forward, the crone knew with amusement that the game would carry on.

* * *

><p><strong>ACT III: TANZ DER SCHWERTER<strong>

* * *

><p>Looking up to the cloudy grey sky, Solona Amell knew that it was going to rain, she could smell it upon the wind. Holding on to the basket of fresh goods she had purchased from the market, she wore a simple dress with a cream shirt and a brown skirt, it greatly helped her avoiding suspicion from the locals. Making her way back to her camp, her shoes pattered upon the dusty dirt path which led away from the village, lightly panting as she moved, Solona was hardly used to all this jogging. Spending one's own life cooped up in a tower sort of did that.<p>

She eventually took a left and went off the road upon the grassy hills. As she continued to jog, Solona saw her campsite in the distance. Rising from the ground was a lone tower of dark grey stone with vines growing upon the walls. According to the local villagers, it had once been an Orlesian sentry outpost. During King Maric's rebellion, the tower's Orlesian occupants were brutally butchered and hanged in retribution for years of oppression and misery they had inflicted upon the people of the nearby villages.

According to the local villagers, the tower was also haunted… which actually turned out to be true. Fortunately though, the magic of both she and her companion had proven efficient in banishing the spirits of the Orlesians. Entering the tower from the main doorway which was covered with a cloth canvas, she went inside and found everything to be undisturbed.

The musty smell of dust and wood rot was still there but it had become fainter since they had moved in three days ago. Moving towards the spiraling flight of stair on the side, Solona ascended the tower with moss-covered stone masonry around her. Upon the second story, she found the sturdy wooden door which had surprisingly held up over the years of disuse. Releasing her left hand from the handle of the basket, Solona gently knocked upon the door three times with two soft ones and one hard one.

Feeling that strange current of energy pass, she heard the lock click open. Using her left hand to open the door, Solona gently pushed the door open and she entered the second floor. With her bed roll still laid out beside the hearth at the centre of the room, she could tell that when this place was still occupied, it had once served as a living quarters for the Orlesian soldiers.

Setting the basket of goods down by the hearth, she went back to the door and locked it. Looking about, she guessed her companion would be upstairs. With a sigh, Solona was really getting tired of being inside a tower with all those damnable steps. Ascending up to the third floor which must have been a mess hall but was now abandoned and ransacked, she went up to the fourth floor which must have been an armory.

When she arrived at the top of the tower which was a round flat platform with a ring of stone battlements, she was greeted by the winds and dark clouds above. Hearing the swift swishing of air, Solona saw her companion performing his intricate dance again. Clad in an elegantly designed armor of silver and gold which depicted several eagles in flight, his armor had the trims of deep blue and was studded with sapphires and white glowing stones. She heard the jingling of the gold and silver scale links from the sleeves and skirt of his armor as his feet lightly stepped upon the stone floor.

Armed with a rather beautiful great sword, her companion thrust his sword forwards before swinging it backhandedly with one arm to his right. Watching the graceful dance in silence, she could feel the unfamiliar power radiating from the great sword which crackled with electricity. Her companion wore a pointy helmet of the same silvery and gold design and plume of blue threads upon the top, the face of the helmet was shaped like the head of an eagle with its wings spread out from behind. Even his pauldrons were designed to resemble the wings of an eagle.

The section of the helmet where a person's nose should be was protected by a veil of scale mail which covered the rest of his face from nose to neck. The only exposed part of her companion's features was his eyes which were the color of the purest silver and the flesh around the eyes were pale. She could see that under the helmet, strands of snow-white hair which moved along with her companion's motion.

Around his waist, he wore a belt with a sheathed long sword upon the left side. The long sword was of a similar design as the larger one but with a single golden crescent guard above the grip and another crescent at the bottom of the hilt. Each side of the crescents was embedded with a white luminescent stone which she had seen would cause the elegant script upon the blade to glow with a shining white light.

Her companion then stopped his dance with graceful fluidity. With a gentle but loud step, his great sword was held in front of his face with the twin crescent guards of gold which were inlaid with glowing sapphire gem in the centre of each crescent upon both side. The blade had an elegant flowing script as well which glowed as he practiced but now dimmed along with the sparks of electricity disappeared. A moment of silence passed and Solona could have sworn that as she had heard him whisper a mantra in his song-like tongue, the gale calmed in response.

Her companion then turned his eyes to her and he regarded her warmly, he then spoke in a tone which mirrored his expression 'I trust your sojourn has been fruitful, Solona?'

'Indeed it has' replied Solona 'I have encountered no trouble during my visit into the village as well as none in my return'.

With a gentle nod of his head, Yransair Stormwing sheathed his great sword upon his back. He then placed his hands upon the side of his helmet and he gently lifted it. For a moment, Solona could not help but stare at the handsome creature which stood in front of her; he was so very different from the elves she was used to seeing with his snow-white hair and pale skin, there was something both haunting and beautiful about him. He claimed to belong to the _Asur_, a race of elves from some other world.

Of course, Solona had been skeptical at first but after seeing his strange magic which did not even stem from the Fade, she was quick to revise her opinion. Physically, he was much taller than her, perhaps he was even the tallest person she had ever met, he also had a thick but short snow-white beard growing which gave him a rugged sort of charm some older men would have. His demeanor was one which spoke of great wisdom, intellect and grace. He also radiated with power of which Solona could not tell had either stemmed from himself, his equipment or perhaps a mix of both.

'That is good to hear child, I shall go and prepare dinner then' he said with a slight bow.

Stepping aside and allowing Yransair to pass, she looked up as she heard the distant sound of thunder from above and the gale continued. Feeling a sudden prick of coldness as a droplet of water hit her cheek; Solona quickly went down the stairs and shut the wooden door to prevent the rain and cold from coming in.

* * *

><p>'You sure you're okay?' Kallian asked again as she looked up to the Dalish hunter, Theron who rode upon the horse called Asfalrhan<p>

'I'm… fine…' groaned Theron as he heavily breathed and clearly looking like he was ready for another bout of nausea.

For two days since they had found him, the Dalish fellow had been very sickly. The amulet of Khorieus glowed weakly as it lay around his neck. Just three hours earlier, he had been vomiting his guts out upon the grass. She hoped that whatever it was the _Asur_ had cured him of, it would already be out of him.

Looking to her other two companions, Kallian saw Khorieus walking ahead with bow at the ready behind the other Asur woman, Illenya. The two of them spent a lot of time talking to each other in their lilting tongue; they often laughed or smiled as they spoke to one another. Feeling a bit jealous at their closeness, Kallian could not help but wonder what the nature of their relationship was.

They had now been travelling southeast, according to Khorieus, to a place called the Brecillian Forest. According to Khorieus who translated for Illenya, there was another Dalish hunter who had whatever it was that Theron had. While she hoped that they would get there in time for she vividly remembered the deathly condition they had found Theron in. Kallian had to admit that she was a little excited at the idea of meeting the Dalish for Theron had not been one to really talk about them, considering his condition of course.

As the party continued to travel, Kallian heard the distant thunder in the north. Already, Kallian could see the trees of the Brecillian Forest in the distance and she hoped that they could find cover under the trees before the rain came.

* * *

><p>Ser Wallace looked upon the phylactery he carried in his hands as the rain poured from the sky above. It's glow was bright and he knew that his quarry was close, looking back to his brothers, they nodded in unison for they were ready. Ahead of the party of Templars, there was a stone tower which was overgrown with vines. A fitting place for a mage to hide, the Templar thought.<p>

Raising his right hand and creating several hand gestures, he ordered his brothers to move out, he then handed the phylactery to a squire who rode upon the back of a horse, in the event that somehow, the mage escaped or they would all have been slain, the squire would ride back to the Iron Keep with the phylactery safe in his hands. They would bring this consorter of Maleficars to justice and the fugitive who had been responsible for the death not only his brother Templars, but also his own blood-brother. They will be avenged, this, he swore to the Maker.

* * *

><p>Inhaling the lovely aroma of the vegetable stew which bubbled and boiled within the iron cauldron upon the hearth, Solona knew that it must have been ready. Using the wooden ladle to gather a generous dollop of stew, she could also smell the wild herbs and grain her companion had used. She had honestly been surprised to find out that aside from chopping people into small pieces, he was also good at chopping vegetables and cooking.<p>

Placing a spoon into her bowl, she scooped up a bit of steaming broth and vegetable. Blowing onto the spoon, she placed the round edge of the utensil in her mouth and she moaned in enjoyment of its taste. Going around the hearth, she took a seat beside her companion who sat cross-legged upon his bed roll.

With a smile, the mage had never imagined that being on the run as an Apostate would be like this; she honestly imagined that it would be much more miserable. Her companion who still wore his armor of silver and gold, looked to the mage with a warm smile, his great sword gently rested within its sheath upon his lap while his long sword was behind him in its own sheath. Solona could not help but blush a bit and she suddenly began to feel a bit hot as she gazed upon his countenance.

'So where do we go now?' Solona asked a bit bashfully as she looked upon Yransair while wondering what they should be doing next.

'To the southeast child, I believe that what which we seek will be found there' he calmly said.

'And how do you know that?' Solona asked while raising an eyebrow

'A raven told me' he said cryptically with a smile

'A raven?' Solona said skeptically. While the mage had come to enjoy his company, there were times when she found his tendency for being rather cryptic was rather annoying at best.

'Indeed child, for the ravens are wise creatures and... Oh…' Yransair looked to the wooden door and then back to Solona with a sudden grim expression.

'What? What is it?' Solona asked a bit worriedly

'Get my other sword and stay behind me child!' he suddenly said with authority as his right hand reached for the hilt of his great sword.

Nodding, Solona watched as he swiftly stood up and began whispering words of power. The sapphires and white luminescent stones upon his armor began to glow brightly and the mage could faintly feel their strange power from them. The Winds of Magic, as Yransair had called it was nothing like she had ever felt, it was so different from the Fade.

Her companion began to literally shine with a bright, blinding light and she could feel a windy breeze emanating from him. Solona herself began to whisper words of power as she focused her will upon the Fade. Her flesh solidified as she finished casting the Rock Armor spell, she then quickly went for his long sword which rested in its sheath. Removing the surprisingly light blade, she saw as the white stone upon the single crescent guard began to glow and she felt surprisingly comforted by the pleasantly warm light. The mage dearly wished she still had her staff but had been forced to give it up when she had been cast out of Kinloch Hold.

From below, she could hear the heavy steps and clatter of metal plates, Templars! She realized. It really would have just been a matter of time until they sent another group for they still had her phylactery. She heard a heavy pounding upon the door and a man's voice shouted

'In the name of Andraste!' the muffled voice said 'Surrender and submit to the Maker's Justice, Apostate!'

'I was set up!' Shouted Solona in response for she had been duped by a friend of hers named Jowan into destroying his phylactery. To the surprise of both Solona and a priestess named Lily who desired to elope with Jowan, it turned out that he really was a Blood Mage, a practitioner in the forbidden college. 'I didn't know he was a Blood Mage!' Solona added, she doubted though that the Templars would believe her

'A likely story, witch! But that changes nothing! You were responsible for the escape of a Maleficar!' the man shouted and she heard the _thok-thok_ of axes cutting down the door. After three chops, Solona heard a cry of pain from Templars at the door and the sound of metal clattering upon the stones.

'There is a reason why I taught you that particular knock Solona' Yransair said without looking at her. He then made a sort of pulling motion with his gauntleted left hand and the wooden door opened.

Three Templars armed with swords and shields were quick to charge in and the _Asur_ launched his own assault. Yransair's great sword crackled with lightning and he moved with great alacrity and in a blink of an eye, one Templar fell with his helmeted head severed from the neck which gushed out blood, another had the tip of the great sword slip through his visors and the point burst out from the back of his head. Yransair had outstretched his left gauntleted hand and a bolt of lightning burst forth and struck the Templar in the chest and was knocked off of his feet towards the stone wall.

As the Templar struck the wall with bone shattering force, electricity danced across his armor and the smell of roasting flesh began to fill the room, Yransair quickly ordered her to head up the stairs. Solona obeyed for her magic would be of little use against even a single full-fledged warrior of the Templar Order. When she had been cast out of the Circle, Solona had only just finished her Harrowing; she honestly was probably just as powerful or perhaps a little more when compared to the average apprentice.

Glancing down as Yransair covered her escape; she saw that more Templars were ascending the tower with weapons drawn.

* * *

><p>Sitting down with a groan as she rested her back upon the bark of a tree and her haunches between its roots, Kallian felt relieved to put the pressure off of her feet for she was just absolutely exhausted. They had been walking quite swiftly almost non-stop since they had found Theron and was glad at the least that they had found cover under the trees as the rain began to pour. She realized that for her <em>Asur <em>companions, it seemed like they were barely tired at all, as if they could just keep on moving without complaint.

The _Asur_ woman, Illenya looked about impatiently she spoke to Khorieus in their language, he spoke back and then nodded towards her. A grateful look came upon the _Asur_ woman's face and she gently raised herself upon her tip toes, she then planted a kiss upon Khorieus cheek, the warrior kissed her as well upon the other cheek and she smiled to him. It seemed like a friendly kiss and not a romantic one… or at least Kallian hoped so she thought.

Illenya then called to her horse in Eltharin and with a neigh the horse came towards her and Illenya mounted its saddle with Theron in front of her. She looked to Khorieus who handed her his case of elixirs; Illenya gently took the case and nodded to him, she carefully held Theron as she rode off into the forest. As the two of them disappeared under the shadowed eaves, she saw that Khorieus was already busy getting started with a fire.

'Are they off to the Dalish camp?' Kallian asked as Khorieus went about his work.

'Indeed, _mornah_, we will follow them come the morrow' he replied as the warrior piled several stick of wood together with stones around it. When he had finished setting the stones around the fire, he used the fire of his axe to ignite the pile of sticks. He quietly sat down beside her and said 'is something wrong _mornah_? You seem disquieted'

A little bit, she thought. 'So what's your relationship with Illenya' Kallian asked with a mix of curiosity and perhaps a bit of envy. She saw Khorieus grin, oh Maker's Breath he caught that envious bit in her tone.

'We are not lovers if that is what you are asking' he said with amusement, as if she had just told him something personal and embarrassing.

'Th-that's not what I meant!' she said hotly as she looked away with a blush on her face.

Hearing a soft chuckle from Khorieus he continued 'As you wish _mornah_' he said with a sardonic smile. 'As I have mentioned previously, Lady Naharynath and I are very close'

'You said something before, a _senthanos_ you called it. Right?' Kallian said as she remembered their conversation a few days earlier.

She had tried to speak to him about it in the previous days, but he just did not seem very sure on how to word it. Khorieus nodded to her, he removed his helmet and placed it beside him and then he removed his pack and placed it along with the helmet. Opening the pack, he reached in and produced one of the roasted tubers he and Illenya had cooked earlier that morning. Handing her one, Kallian thanked him as she felt her stomach growl a little.

'Indeed _mornah_' he finally said. 'A _senthanos_ is… a group' he said, his tone was clear that he was still bit unsure of his words as he held one of the roasted tubers 'a group… tied together by very strong bonds of loyalty and fellowship'

'You mean you were just close friends?' Kallian asked, for that did not seem so hard to explain

'It is much more than that _mornah_' he added quickly. 'Each member of the _Senthanos_ shares a close bond, one which could only be forged by decades… if not centuries of shared experiences and hardships. To be a part of a _senthanos_ is to open your true self to others and for them to do the same.'

Remaining silent and curious, Kallian allowed him to continue 'To be a part of a S_enthanos _is to know one another's greatest fears and deepest desires. To be a part of a S_enthanos_ is to know one another as well as you would know yourself, to be able to lay down your own life in defense of that person as if you were defending your own life.'

Still, Khorieus remained unsure of his words as he was clearly doing his best to explain 'To be part of a S_enthanos_ is to face your foes as if you were all of one mind, one body, one purpose.'

Kallian could not imagine what that would be like, to know someone on such a deep and intimate level. She reflected on her own relationships with friends and relatives back in the Alienage. With her cousins, it seemed possible considering they were family, but what about the others though? She knew of some people in the Alienage who would be the type to rat her out for a reward if she were involved with something serious. Some she knew she could trust to have her back in a fight, others not so.

'Was it just you and Illenya?' Kallian asked

'There are more of us within our S_enthanos_' he replied 'Each an _Asur_ I have proudly stood beside against countless foes. Each an _Asur_ I would proudly stand beside until the end of time'.

'And me?' Kallian asked as she looked into his eyes 'Would you do the same?'

'I think you know the answer, Kallian' Khorieus said with a warm, fatherly smile.

With a smile of her own, Kallian indeed already knew.

* * *

><p>By the Maker, this was just impossible thought Ser Wallace as he climbed up the steps of the sentry tower. The stranger who was protecting the Apostate was using some sort of unknown magic they could not disrupt nor deny. The only consolation was that with their training and equipment, they could still resist some of the magical assaults of this stranger.<p>

Already, his party of over twenty men had been reduced to eight. Two who were supposed to chop down the door were electrocuted to death. Five more men met their deaths upon the second floor, three more on the third, and two upon the fourth.

They were now upon the top of the tower with the stranger and the apostate cornered upon the flat platform of the roof with stone battlements around them. And yet, Ser Wallace felt uneasy as the rain poured hard and lightning cracked across the sky. It had been too easy to drive them up, as if the stranger had purposefully been giving the Templars ground.

Now looking at the stranger, Ser Wallace had never seen such a design of armor. Decorated with glowing gems which must be magical like those colored crystals some merchants sold. The stranger was unusually tall and slender with a conical helmet with a plume of blue at top, the helmet was designed at the front to resemble the face of an eagle. He could also see the gilded wings upon the side of the helmet and the fugitive's pauldrons which were also shaped like wings. The stranger's face was covered by a veil of shining metal scales and he could see the pair of silver eyes which seemed to pierce his very soul.

Most dreadfully, was the stranger's beautiful silverite great sword which bore two golden crescent moons and was embedded with glowing sapphires. The sword was etched with runes which glowed a bright blue and electricity sparked from the blade. The sword dripped with the blood of his fellow Templars as the rain genlty washed it way and fugitive carried it in a seemingly aggressive stance.

The Apostate woman was a rather attractive, fair-skinned, rose blonde haired human woman with eyes which seemed to be a similar color. She wore a rain-soaked cream-colored dress and in her hands, she carried a long sword similar to that of the stranger's which glowed with a white light, her stance made it clear that she had some training in its use. With the time for mercy having long passed, Ser Wallace ordered his men to take no prisoners.

* * *

><p>Feeling a surge of energy as one of the Templars purged the rooftop of magic, Solona felt the effects of her Rock Armor disappear along with the Heroic Offense spell she had cast. One of the Templars then raised his hands and anti-magical fire burst out from him in a wave. Solona was knocked off her feet and she landed upon her back, she began to feel disoriented as an intense burning pain began to flare through her body and she began to feel her reserves of mana begin to drain away.<p>

As she fought to stay conscious, her companion had weathered the magic flame more easily. He quickly moved into a defensive stance, and began whispering words of power.

* * *

><p>With a whispered prayer to Khaine as the defender, Yransair charged ahead with his great sword pointing forward and its twin guards were raised horizontally at eye level. The Templars reacted by attacking him all at once, each one carrying a weapon and shield. The Saphery-born Loremaster of Hoeth began to shine with the light of Pha's Protection, his already considerable speed was imbued with the trapped Winds of <em>Hysh<em> within the Lumen Stones socketed to his armor.

Sweeping Tempestfang low with his right hand, he severed the legs to two Templars and his left hand shot out a bolt of chain lightning which struck another Templar and it swiftly jumped towards the others. Another Templar fell as the rest managed to resist or maintain their balance; they were quickly on the move to strike against the Loremaster once more. Yransair swiftly parried the steel weapons of the Templars which were poorly aimed as they were blinded by the light of _Hysh_.

Twisting to his left and dodging a thrust from one of the Templars, he beheaded another foe with a sweep of his great sword as the blade followed his movement and it struck the human in the back of neck, blood sprayed like a geyser as it mixed with the falling rain. Another Templar swung a sword in a downwards chop, the blade nearly grazed the right winged _ithilmar_ pauldron by an inch before the Loremaster weaved away and thrust his hand forwards and unleashed a ball of white light. The ball of light struck the Templar who remained standing as he resisted the spell.

Another Templar swung his shield forwards to bash the _Asur_. The Loremaster leapt aside and rolled across the wet mossy stones, he then quickly recovered and went towards his foes, his dance hardly interrupted. Yransair thrust his sword forwards with such speed that he impaled a Templar in the chest and Tempestfang began electrocuting the human's body from inside his armor.

With a swiftly whispered spell, he fired another bolt of lightning towards a Templar beside him and the human was knocked down and already dead as he was cooked from inside his armor. With three Templars now remaining, Yransair retracted his great sword in time to parry a sweep from a sword, he then took a step back and ducked under a sideways slash and brought his sword up to cleave a Templar from groin to belly. Now with two Templars remaining, the Loremaster swiftly pulled out his sword from the Templar's gut along with his entrails.

The last two Templars were now on the defensive with shields raised. Whispering words of power, he thrust his left hand forwards and a strong Wind Gust blew against the Templars. Such was the strength of the wind that both men were swept off of their feet and they were knocked off of the tower where they descended from the five-story drop.

Hearing the sounds of anguish from the two remaining Templars whose legs he had severed, the Loremaster thrust his Great Sword into the visor of one and left the last man alone. Looking to Solona who still seemed a bit dazed, he began to draw upon the Lumen Stones and he began casting a spell of healing upon the girl. Slowly rising with a groan, Solona looked to him first and then to the dead Templars with more than a bit of surprise.

She was about to say something but she sneezed and groaned again. The child might be coming down with something from the rain he thought. Looking to the last remaining Templar who tried to crawl to the nearest sword as blood poured from the bottom of his legs. Driving Tempestfang towards the Templar's right hand as his gauntleted fingers tried reaching for the hilt of a long sword, Yransair severed it with a shout of pain from the Templar. The Loremaster had decided to question this one first before deciding upon the Templar's fate.

* * *

><p>Lifting the side of his white fur cloak, Khorieus placed it over Kallian's shoulders. Feeling warm from the fire in front of them and the cloak which kept the away the cold air and the few droplets of rain which passed the canopy, they had already finished their meals were ready to rest for the night with the Chracian taking watch again. Kallian rested her head upon the right side of the <em>Asur<em>'s chest as his right arm was draped over her shoulders as well.

Her body which was much smaller than his was now completely covered by his fur cloak. Khorieus armored arm gently held Kallian protectively towards him as she gently breathed. The Chracian began to sing an old lullaby the _Asur_ from across Ulthuan would sing for their children.

_Haain Mornah_

_Yile Haain Mornah_

_Muir fala muir nisa Lileath_

_Dren Mornah_

_Lecai dren Mornah_

_Fahn orre linei Minaith_

_Lah na athan fera_

_Sein eila han Menlui_

_Sethai eila Annuli_

_Yein enna meso dren_

_illa haain _

_Haain Mornah_

_Yile Haain Mornah_

_Muir fala muir nisa Lileath…_

It was a lullaby he had not sung in centuries. He remembered his own mother singing it to him when Khorieus himself was a child. He and his wife would also sing the same song for their son when Aranith was still little. Lost in the song as the _Asur_ revisited old memories, he remembered days when his wife and son were still alive, he remembered the faces, names and memories of friends and comrades lost in the centuries of war.

He also visited the memories of the more recent adventures he had in the Old World. Of the friends he had made and lost, the battles he had fought against so many foes and the sights both terrible and wondrous he had seen over the course of his travels across _Elthin Arvan_. He hoped that he would be able to return, to see those sights again as well as the faces of those he had befriended. To clash blades with the enemies he had come to loathe and hate, to spill their blood as he had for centuries.

As he finished his song, he gently lifted the side of his cloak and looked down to see Kallian's eyes were closed as she deeply slept. With a warm smile, he covered Kallian again as his eyes settled upon the fire. He would maintain his silent vigil till the coming of dawn.

* * *

><p>Riding fast and hard under the eaves of the Brecillian, Illenya and Theron rode upon the back of Asfalrhan. The Ellyrian steed was just as home running across the forests and brush as easily as if it were upon the open plains. The horse moved with an almost tireless pace for the weight of the two elves were nothing compared to the weight of the full sets of armor both the Ellyrian Lady and the steed would wear when riding amongst the Silver Helm Knights.<p>

Leaping over a log and descending a hill, the Lady of the House of Naharynath knew the limits of her beloved steed were hardly within reach. Holding on to Asfalrhan's reins, Illenya carefully held Theron between her arms as his head bobbed about as the horse ran. While she was glad that he seemed to have been healed from the corruption brought by the Darkspawn, she had no idea if there were any lasting effects.

For several hours, the Lady would ride with the young hunter in her arms. It was until the shafts of dawn's light began to pierce through the canopy of leaves that the Harbinger would find the hunter's kin. She had come upon the camp of the Dalish where a pair of sentries pointed their bows in surprise at Illenya, when they had realized who she was and to see Theron with her, they were quick to lower their weapons and call to their elder, the one called Marethari.

Dismounting Asfalrhan, Illenya helped Theron down as well as his kin attended to him. The Ellyrian lady removed his amulet and prayed to Isha that the amulet would still have enough power. The elder of whom looked exhausted and haggard eventually came to Illenya and spoke in their language; it was a mix of crude human speech and the more elegant sounding tongue of their own native speech. Illenya understood the elder's intent for her to follow and she did as she carefully held the case of Sapherian elixirs.

Illenya was soon brought to the elder's _aravel_ where she saw the apprentice of the elder, the one named Merril tending to the other hunter who lay upon a sweat stained mat. To Illenya's horror, the other hunter of whose name was Tamlen had developed several dark blotches upon his skin and he looked worse than even Theron had. His hair was falling leaving several bald areas like a mange ridden beast, at the least he was quite and the lady could see the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Isha's tears thought the Illenya, it was like seeing one of those afflicted by the Plague God's more insidious and slow acting maladies. The kind of unnatural sicknesses which slowly eroded not only the physical body, but also the sanity and spirit of the afflicted as well. She remembered rather vividly what devastation she had seen in _Elthin Arvan_ when the Plague God's diseases ran rampant amongst the humans and even the wood elf communities in the Empire and Kislev.

Kneeling down by the hunter, Illenya set the case next to herself; she placed the amulet around Tamlen's neck and began whispering a prayer to Isha again. The amulet glowed weakly for most of its power was spent in Theron's healing; the elder began whispering words of power as well as she began to add her magic as well. As Illenya prayed to Isha, she removed one of the bottles from the case and she pulled out the stopper.

Merril said something to the hunter and he slowly opened his mouth. Illenya began pouring the contents of the elixir into his mouth and she saw the movement upon his throat as he swallowed it. A tense moment of silence passed and he began to spasm violently. Just as what had happened to Theron, Tamlen soon began to vomit a vile mix of blood, bile and the corruption of the Darkspawn.

Illenya wondered why that happened though for she had fought the followers of the Plague God in the past and had been cured of many sicknesses thanks to the magic and alchemy of the _Asur_. Never had she seen anyone begin to vomit and spasm as violently so during the healing process. Neither an alchemist nor a practitioner of the arcane, her only skill in healing was the mixing and application of herbs into non-magical salves and poultices. As such she was really no expert in the way diseases worked and reacted.

As soon as Tamlen began to with his spasms, Illenya saw the elder and her apprentice check for his pulse. There was a relieved sigh from both and they both looked to the Ellyrian with gratitude upon their expressions. Whispering a relieved prayer of thanks to the Mother Goddess, Illenya called to Asfalrhan. As her steed gently cantered towards her, the _Asur_ mounted the horse and rode back into the forest with the intent of bringing both Khorieus and the Kallian to the camp.

* * *

><p>Glaring hatefully at his captors, Ser Wallace's arms were bound behind his back with rusty iron chains as he sat upon the fourth floor of the tower. He had been stripped of his weapons and armor and was now wearing a wet undershirt and trousers. Both of his legs were severed from below the knee and his right hand had been cut off as well, he should have died but the witch's guardian had healed him.<p>

Likely, the Apostates were planning to interrogate or keep the Templar as a hostage. Death would be preferable now for he had been robbed of his ability to properly fight and walk, if they had let him lived, he would become a useless cripple for the rest of his life. His sense of loss was overpowered by the rage and hate he felt towards the apostates and yet he was also curious about the great sword-wielding stranger.

Just what in the Maker's name was he dealing with? All of his attempts as well as those of his comrades in dispelling the stranger's magic had ended in failure. Their powers also did not seem to affect the stranger, despite the clear use of magical abilities and yet they could still resist some of his spells. The stranger's magic was unlike anything he had seen in over a decade of being a Templar.

The apostate woman though seemed comfortable in the stranger's presence. Was he some sort of demonic familiar or a bound abomination? The Templar couldn't be sure, but he knew that he needed to escape and warn the rest of his brethren. All he had known before the mission was that the escaped mage was being guarded by a warrior in silverite armor; they had known nothing of his strange magic.

With the stranger now busy going up and down the tower while dragging the bodies of his comrades to the ground floor, the apostate woman, one Solona Amell was now watching over him. The mage, of whom according to the report he had been given was a recently harrowed mage of The Circle who had also been responsible for the escape of a Blood Mage. The woman continued to look at him uncomfortably; she clearly did not seem sure what to do with him.

* * *

><p>Looking to the crippled Templar who quietly glared at her, Solona was quite not sure on what to do with him. While she was not fond of the Templars considering their purpose as jailers and executioners for mages like her, Solona was also not the violent type and to simply kill the man did not sit well with her.<p>

While she knew a few spells which would normally be used in burning, shock or generally cause bodily harm towards living things such as those spiders and sentinels a few weeks back, setting overgrown arachnids, magical constructs and restless spirits on fire or freezing or shocking them was completely different from harming an actual living person.

And yet, she knew well enough by now that had Yransair not been there to protect her, Solona would now either be dead or on the way back to Aeonar. Which honestly would not exactly be a pleasant fate considering some of the stories she had heard about what happens to mages there. She knew it would be no use trying to talk to the man for his conviction and faith would not change his view on Solona for being an apostate.

As she thought about the man, Solona already knew with a heavy heart on what must be done. With a sigh she looked to the Templar and she did her best to steel herself for she already knew that the Templar had to die. Standing guard and watching the man in an uncomfortable silence, she soon finally heard her companion's footsteps.

Yransair arrived with his head exposed as his helmet was hooked to the side of his belt opposite of his long sword. Looking away a bit embarrassed, Solona was ashamed that she had dropped his sword and nearly lost consciousness during the fight. Her companion gave her nod before turning his gaze towards the crippled Templar with an aloof and distant look, the Templar in turn kept his glare upon Yransair.

'I would like to ask you a few a things, human' Yransair asked in a surprisingly polite and formal tone 'and if you answer them to my satisfaction then you may live or be given a swift end as you wish'

'And if I refuse?' asked the Templar with hostility

'Then I shall be forced to tear out your very soul and ask you again while I torment you at my leisure' replied Yransair said quite casually

'I am a devout follower of the Chant of Light!' the Templar proudly announced in defiance 'the Maker will guard my soul and bring me to his side as he does with all of the faithful'

'Your god can take your soul or cast it aside for all I care, human.' Yransair said 'all I ask are three things'

'And what is it do you wish to ask? Apostate' the Templar said

'The first would be for the location of my companion's phylactery' Yransair replied 'the second would be if your Order would be so kind as to destroy said phylactery'

'And the last?' the Templar asked coldly

'For your fellows to stop hunting my companion' finished Yransair.

The Templar looked at Yransair with an incredulous look, as if he asked for the Templar to renounce his faith to the Maker. Solona herself was surprised because getting rid of her phylactery would mean that she could just run off somewhere far away and not have to worry about the Templars coming after her unless she makes a highly overt display of magic.

'I will have to disappoint you then' the Templar said with an grim look 'but my Order would deny each of those for we are sworn to hunt down renegade mages for the dangers they pose to the world.'

'A shame then' Yransair said as he reached for a small pouch on the front of his belt.

He then removed a trio of purple stones which were attached by a delicate silver wire. The elf softly began whispering words of power and a dark purple aura of energy began to appear around him, the aura grew stronger and Solona could feel the air around them becoming unnaturally cold. It felt a little similar to magic from the college of Entropy, only a little though.

'What is this Apostate!?' shouted the Templar 'I answered all of your damn questions!'

Yransair continued his spell and he slowly walked towards the Templar who began to struggle with his bindings, Solona could feel the anti-magical powers of the Templar battering uselessly against the elf. Yransair then placed the stones upon the Templar's forehead and the man began to scream in a bone chilling horror as he began to spasm, after a few moments he suddenly then became limp like a rag doll. Yransair then gently removed the stones; a cold look of satisfaction was etched upon his face.

The elf then looked to one of the stones and coldly said 'Your answer was not to my satisfaction in regards to the first'

Looking in quiet horror at her companion, did he really just tear that Templar's very soul out? Yransair then looked to Solona and gave her a warm smile which now seemed more than a bit unnerving.

'We should rest for the night and then leave this tower come the morrow child' he said in a friendly tone 'I believe we still have some stew left'

* * *

><p>As dawn's light shone over the canopy of the forest, Khorieus silently rested with the fires in front of him already having guttered out. In the distance, he heard the galloping hooves of a horse coming from the forest and knew that it would be Illenya. The steps of the horse gently slowed into a canter and soon enough he saw the Ellyrian lady and her mount arrive in camp.<p>

He noticed that the hunter, Theron was no longer with the Harbinger and guessed that she may have found the hunter's kin. Looking to Illenya who gave a simple nod towards Khorieus, it was all he needed to see for the expression on her face told of success. Hearing the gentle stirring as Kallian awakened, the Chracian lifted his cloak and he heard Kallian groan.

'Time to awaken _mornah' _Khorieus gently said.

'Ugh… just a few more minutes' rasped Kallian in response as she nuzzled the side of his cuirass and pulled his cloak over her.

With a slight grin, Khorieus removed his cloak and wrapped Kallian in it before rising up to greet Illenya. The Ellyrian lady gave him an amused look as she glanced towards Kallian, she then dismounted her steed and softly landed upon the forest floor. Holding each other again as they brushed the back of one hand against the other's cheek, it was a common form of greeting among _Asur_ who greeted close friends of opposite genders.

'I trust that your business with the hunter's kin is done?' Khorieus spoke in Eltharin

'Indeed it has _Fersai-Hinaan_' Illenya said as she looked to him 'we should make our way to their camp, we can recuperate and gather supplies for the journey to the Tower'

'I suppose we can also gather information from the hunter's kin, I am eager to meet this mage of theirs which you have mentioned' added the Chracian. 'You should rest first before we leave _Wylanh-Sayehk'_.

With a nod, Illenya went about removing the saddle, harnesses and armor from Asfalrahn while Khorieus gathered more wood. By the time the Ellyrian Lady had finished removing her horse's gear and setting them in a neat pile, she set herself down by the fire pit. Khorieus soon returned with a clutch of several twigs and sticks, he placed them upon the fire pit and started a new fire by rubbing the sticks together.

With a new fire set, the two of them quietly drank water from leather skins and ate some of the dried foods Khorieus had purchased in Denerim. They talked and spoke of the many previous battles they had fought in and adventures they had been through together. Illenya had been especially intrigued by the Chracian's more recent adventures across _Elthin Arvan_; it lifted the heart of Khorieus to be with the Ellyrian Lady once more.

As they quietly talked, laughed and reminisced, they also shared moments of silent remembrance for those they had lost over the centuries. While they did speak to one another in the days after they had found the hunter, Illenya's thoughts had been more occupied about returning the hunter to his kin as well as healing the other hunter who had been afflicted as well according to the Harbinger. Now free to just be themselves, it was good to simply talk and catch up on nearly a century's worth of events.

After allowing Illenya and Asfalrhan to rest for a few hours, the three elves were soon ready to depart and meet the hunter's kin. They had put out the fire and re-equipped Asfalrhan for the journey ahead. Kallian herself seemed a bit excited and in high spirit as well, she had previously told Khorieus along the way that in the Alienage, they had heard many tales regarding the hunter's kin which both Kallian and Illenya referred to as the Dalish.

They would travel across the forest seeing only simple wildlife here and there. For many hours they travelled on foot until after the following nightfall. They were met by a group of armed elves who were rather short compared to the two _Asur_ but compared to Kallian they were similar in height to her as well.

Each of them wore a set of deerskin leather armor which was embossed with the same images of hawks and serpents, just like that of Theron's. Curiously though, the Chracian noted was that females of these so-called Dalish wore leather armor which completely left their midriffs exposed. One of them, a male stepped forward; Khorieus noted how each of them bore intricate tattoos upon their faces, a number of which were quite pleasing to the _Asur_'s eyes.

'_Andaran atish'an'_ the leader of the Dalish party said as he bowed with arms crossed in an x shape, he then spoke in the common language 'I am Fenarel of the Sabrae Clan and you must be the companions of Illenya.'

Illenya replied with formal greeting in Eltharin as she gave a courtly bow to them. The Dalish bowed in unison to her and it was clear that the Ellyrian had gained a good measure of respect from these other elves.

'We are, yes' the Chracian said 'I am Khorieus Alatanrieth of the Asur of Ulthuan and of Chrace.' Gesturing his hand towards Kallian he then introduced her to the Dalish 'This is Kallian Tabris of Denerim'

'We welcome you as well sister of Alienage' Fenarel said with politeness

* * *

><p>'Nice to meet you too then' Kallian replied with a polite smile<p>

'We have recently taken in another dweller from the Alienage of Denerim, Pol. Perhaps you know him?' said Fenarel which surprised Kallian for she did know who Pol was.

She remembered hearing about him running away and she never heard of what happened to him. Not that they were close or anything but he was a regular acquaintance back in the Alienage.

'Yes I do know him' replied Kallian

'That is good then, for we have been teaching Pol what it means to be a true elf' Fenarel said politely. Kallian of course was not amused by the bit about "being a true elf" part but decided to let it slide. 'We welcome each of you as friends for saving the lives of two of our kin and we would be proud to offer you a place within our clan' added the Dalish leader.

'I wish to speak to your clan's mage' Khorieus said 'I have a number of questions I would like to ask'

'Of course, our Keeper is eager to meet you all' Fenarel replied 'The three of you have proven yourselves friends of our clan and we extend our hospitality towards you'

'By your lead then' Khorieus said and the party departed towards the camp of the Sabrae Clan.

* * *

><p><em>The morning of the same day…<em>

Testing one of the long swords taken from the Templars, Yransair felt that while the weapon was crude and cumbersome for him, he supposed it was serviceable enough. Placing the sword in its sheath, he handed the weapon to Solona who took it in both hands. She tested the weapon and she studied the rune stones which were embedded upon the base of the sword.

In Solona's pack, she carried some of the equipment they had taken from the Templars. Among them was a suit of armor the Loremaster had agreed with which he would teach her to be capable of properly using. With a nod, both the _Asur_ Loremaster and the Human Mage left the entrance of the tower.

The bodies of the Templars had simply been left near the entrance outside the tower with their equipment stripped off of their bodies. Already, several carrion ravens were eagerly feasting upon the remains of the dead humans. Some of the ravens regarded the two for a moment before going about their meals. It was the least Yransair could do in gratitude for their wisdom.

To the southeast was where he and Solona needed to go. There was power which he had sensed from there, one which he hoped would give him the means or at least bring him closer to going home. The only thing they had left was the body of the Templar he had allowed to let live, for while the human was technically still alive, his soul was now imprisoned within one of the three Endstones he kept. If any more of these Templars would come seeking to harm his companion, the Loremaster had already sworn that he would dedicate each of their souls to the Bloody Handed God.

Quietly walking across the field which was wet and muddy from the rain of the previous night, Yransair and Solona carried on with the wind at their back and the morning light of day shining upon them.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: According to Sword of Caledor by William King and the Malus Darkblade series by Dan Abnett and Mike Lee, yes Warhammer Elves can grow beards. I<strong>magine the song part as of going with the melody of Zelda's Lullaby from well... Legend of Zelda.<strong>**


	8. Quyl-Isha

Sitting cross-legged in front of the camp fire with his great sword lying upon his lap, Yransair's eyes were closed as he quietly whispered in his native tongue. Across him on the other side of the fire, Solona lay upon her bed roll as she slept while the Loremaster fell into a meditative trance. His helmet was placed beside him, leaving his head bare to the cold night air as the glow of the fires illuminated his face and the only pieces of armor he now wore was his cuirass and the scale mail which protected his lower body.

Reaching into the pouch upon the right side of his belt opposite from where he would keep his long sword, his bare right hand gently opened the pouch and he removed a series of dried leaves. Placing the leaves in his left, he held the edge of his great sword and felt the blade bite into the flesh of his right palm. As blood drew, he ignored the pain and continued his chant.

Picking up the leaves and crushing them into small pieces with only a crackle, Yransair cast the now blood stained leaves into the fire. The fires intensified and soon it began to take a blue hue as the Loremaster began channeling a small bit of _Azyr_ from his equipment.

As the flames danced and the smoke of the dried leaves began to waft through the air, Yransair took a deep breath of the vapors and he slowly opened his eyes which were now filled with sky blue light. Soon hearing the croak of a raven, the Loremaster heard the bird's small feet land in front of him. The raven looked to him with eyes which were filled with the same light as he and the Loremaster began to see through its own eyes.

The raven took flight as it soared over the dark and clear sky with unnatural speed. He could feel the otherworldly energy Solona called the Fade which connected to her world. While the Loremaster could not harness its power just as much as Solona could not wield the Winds, Yransair could feel its presence and he knew that there was some sort of connection with the Fade and the Aethyr.

As the raven flew over a forest which was saturated with the Fade's energy, Yransair found what he was seeking. A ruin which was surrounded by darkness and corruption, the raven saw many foul creatures skulking about the place. The corruption itself seemed to be spread by the creatures which bore this black taint, a perversion of nature which fouled the land as malignantly as the raw magic of Chaos. And yet it was there, the power he had felt was within the ruins.

Recalling the raven, the bird swiftly flew back towards their camp. It would gently land between the Loremaster and the fire. As the bird looked up at Yransair expectantly, he severed his link with it and the eyes of both returned to their natural state. Quietly offering his thanks to the bird, the creature flapped its wings and flew away into the darkness of the night.

Drawing a small portion of the Wind of _Hysh_, Yransair healed his hand which had dripped blood across his lap. Ignoring the blood which stained the _ithilmar _scales, the Loremaster offered a prayer of thanks towards the Lord of Wisdom, the Maiden and the Crone. Looking into the fires once more as his companion quietly slept, Yransair knew that before this journey was over, a great deal of more blood would have to be shed.

* * *

><p>Quietly walking towards the gathering of carriages and carts, the party of Dalish hunters escorted their guests towards the camp of the Sabrae clan. With eyes piercing the darkness of the night, Khorieus could see lights of lanterns hanging upon curved wooden poles and a single great bonfire which bathed the camp in light.<p>

The eyes of several of the Dalish elves were soon upon the three. There was a mixed look of wonderment, gratefulness and curiosity from them as they saw the two _Asur _and Kallian. The elves here certainly looked to be of a hardier stock compared to the ones he had seen at the Alienage. A number of them even carried swords, axes and bows with competent stances.

Ahead of the group were two elders, one was a white-haired matriarch clad in garments of fur over her shoulders and forest green cloth with a golden trim which reached down a little above the knees before the rest of her legs were covered in thigh high boots of a similar color. Beside the matriarch was a male elf wearing bright green garments and trousers, while his outfit was less decorated as the matriarch's Khorieus could tell that both commanded equal respect from their clan.

'_Andaran atish'an_ _Bellanar'falon'_ greeted the matriarch 'I am Marethari, Keeper of the Sabrae Clan; we welcome you all as friends and kin.' With a respectful bow from the assembly of elves, Khorieus, Illenya and Asfalrhan bowed back in unison towards their hosts with Kallian following a little after.

'_Elthra'yenlui ath cynasaroiel_' greeted the Chracian with courtly formality 'I am Khorieus of the House of Alatanrieth, of the High Elves of Blessed Ulthuan and we accept your most gracious offer'. With a nod from the Matriarch, the elder turned her gaze to Illenya who spoke

'_Nah lahmei irahna_ Marethari' said the Lady of the House of Naharynath with eyes closing and hands gently clasped with fingers pointing upwards as if in prayer, Asfalrhan bowed his head once more in respect.

The Matriarch then gently turned her gaze to Kallian who simply said with a bit of embarrassment 'Uh, salutations, I am Kallian Tabris from the Alienage of Denerim'

'On the behalf of our clan, we give thanks to you all for saving the lives of two of our children' said the Matriarch with great respect 'you may stay with us for as long as you wish friends'

'We are grateful then' Khorieus said with a slight bow of his head 'If it is no trouble, there are many things I would like to ask you'

'It is we who are grateful _Bellanar'fallon_. I will be glad to answer your questions' the Matriarch said.

The crowd of elves then gently dispersed to go about their business. Khorieus looked to Kallian and said 'I will try not to take too long _mornah_'

'Take your time' she replied with a smile 'I would like to talk to the people here'

With a nod, Khorieus followed the Matriarch while Kallian went off on her own. He saw Illenya tending to Asfalrhan and began removing the steed's equipment. The Chracian hoped that the Matriarch would be helpful in guiding both he and Illenya home.

* * *

><p>Looking about the camp with a mix of excitement and trepidation, felt her fatigue drain away a bit. Now seeing the other elves, she was not quite sure of whom to talk to first or even what to talk about. Her eyes soon settled on a group of magnificent white deer with curved horns.<p>

The majestic creatures grazed about within a pen surrounded by wooden fences. Slowly walking towards the pen where the white deer were, there was something about these creatures which seemed wondrous to Kallian. The deer did not seem skittish or frightened by her; she tried making a _tut-tut-tut_ sound as if she were trying to call a cat or a dog. The deer looked at her curiously before going back to their grazing.

'I see you enjoy the sight of the Halla' came the voice of a woman to Kallian's right.

Looking over her shoulder, Kallian saw a ginger haired Dalish woman with an intricate series of tattoos upon her face. Now that Kallian noticed it, she wondered why all the Dalish seemed to have tattoos. Behind the Dalish woman, there was a statue which was missing its hands and head.

'They are quite beautiful creatures' Kallian said

The Dalish woman smiled and spoke 'I admire them for their strength and pride, we Dalish treat the Halla as equals and not servants like _shemlen_ horses'

'Oh sorry' said Kallian 'I didn't get your name'

'Marren' said the Dalish woman with a friendly smile 'I know the Keeper has given you our thanks, but I would like to give you mine as well for the Halla are happy that you and your friends have brought back our kin'

'Well your welcome then' Kallian said a bit embarrassed 'but it was Khorieus and Illenya who did most of the fighting and saving'.

At the mention of the _Asur_ Lady, Kallian saw Illenya leading her horse into the pen. The Halla seemed to react oddly to the white steed as they began to suddenly move around and make loud noises.

'The Halla are overjoyed' Marren said still smiling as she looked to Asfalrhan. Kallian guessed that the horse was friends with these halla things. 'You are from the Alienages, yes?' asked the Dalish

'Yes, like I said, I am from the Alienage of Denerim' nodded Kallian

'Did Fenarel or the others tell you that we have recently taken in another from the Alienages?' Marren asked.

'He did yes' Kallian said 'Is Pol around?'

'He can normally be found training in archery with Junar over there' Marren said as she pointed yonder where a large stone stood.

'Thanks, I will be sure to talk to them' Kallian said with a smile

'_Dareth Shiral Falon' _Marren said with a respectful bow.

Guessing that is was some sort of goodbye, Kallian bid farewell to Marren. She wondered if it was true that the Dalish were also seekers of the lost knowledge of their people. Perhaps from them, she could see which of the stories and legends she had heard were just stories and which ones would be true.

* * *

><p>Slowly rising up with a grunt, Theron Mahariel felt a whole lot better compared to the previous days. Looking around the back of an <em>Aravel<em>, he saw Merril sleeping with her head resting upon the side of the _aravel_. For the last day he had seen both she and the Keeper using their magic or whatever herbs they mixed to aid in their recovery. Looking to his friend, Theron could not help but still be surprised at how all of Tamlen's hair had fallen out as he lay in a comatose upon a mat.

He had weakly asked the Keeper earlier if Tamlen was all right and she did seem to be confident that the Darkspawn taint was no longer within him. Whatever magic these other elves had, it must have been quite powerful. At the thought of these strange elves, his thoughts turned towards Illenya and he wondered if she was around.

Quietly moving towards the edge of the _aravel_, Theron noticed a neatly folded blanket lying beside Merril. Taking the blanket and laying it over her, Mahariel quietly thanked the Keeper's first for her aide. As Theron stepped off of the _Aravel_, he stretched his arms and took a deep breath of the cold night air.

Still feeling a little groggy, Theron resolved not to stay up for too long. Looking around the camp, he saw the Alienage woman, Kallian Tabris of whom was by the Halla pen. He saw the Alienage dweller talking to Marren who pointed to the standing stone near where they had set up the training dummies for their archery practice.

He quickly spotted Illenya who was still clad in her magnificent set of silver and gold armor over the white silk robe as she held her helmet in the crook of her right arm. Theron could not help but admire the strange foreign woman's beauty as her long golden hair was woven with a silver plated cord and decorated with combs and gems.

Illenya soon spotted him and even in the distance, he could make out her radiant smile. With his heart pounding a bit faster, sweat beading upon his brow, Theron took a deep breath and confidently walked towards her. As he drew close to the foreign woman who was good deal taller than he was, he looked up to see her deep blue eyes as she gave him a warm smile.

'_Ma Serranas_ my lady' Theron said with respect 'I have you and your friends to thank for not only my safe return and healing but also that of Tamlen's. I suppose we are even now'

Illenya spoke something in her lilting tongue which Theron could not quite understand as the woman gently bowed her head and closed her eyes. He heard her use the word _mornah_ as she spoke and he was sure it meant the same as or was very similar to _da'len_. She then said something again before turning around and heading towards the Keeper's _aravel_.

When he and Tamlen had first encountered Illenya more than two weeks ago, they had thought she spoke in actual elvish for her language had a similar sound to the tongue of the ancient elves. Since that first meeting, he had learned so little of Illenya, of the culture, land and people she hailed from for she did not speak the common language very well. The other elf though, Khorieus seemed to be able to speak the common tongue, hopefully from him, Theron could learn more about these other elves.

As his eyes turned back to the city elf, Theron was also curious about speaking to her. He had never met one of the flat ears and he was a bit curious to know what it was like to live in a city. Not that he would want to of course, but he wondered why any elf would choose to live under human rule.

Perhaps he should talk to the Alienage dweller first, Theron thought for he was curious to learn about how such a pair came all the way there. Deciding to first speak with Kallian, he walked towards the standing stone while doing his best to look as hale as possible, Theron wanted to make a good impression to the city elf now that he was much better, he was also a bit eager for he had found the city dweller quite pretty.

* * *

><p>Having set both of his knees upon the grassy earth, Khorieus was accompanied by the Matriarch who was also the mage he had sought. Beside the Matriarch was the other elder whose name the High Elf had learned was Paivel. Each of the three sat upon their knees as they spoke.<p>

'I will be glad to answer your questions now dear friend' said the Matriarch. With a nod, Khorieus began

'I am sure by now that both Illenya and I are not from your world' said Khorieus 'it seems that the two of us had come here by accident and we seek a way home. Do the magisters of this world have any means of traversing across the planes of reality?'

'You mean that you seek some way to physically move to another world?' asked the Matriarch a bit perplexed.

'Indeed' Khorieus replied

'I am sorry to inform you, but I know nothing amongst our lore which would be capable of such a thing' the matriarch said. It was all Khorieus needed to hear, these Dalish were a dead-end for both Illenya and he. 'Perhaps it was possible amongst our ancestors in Arlathan' continued the Matriarch 'but if such magic existed then the knowledge would have been lost to our people like so much our heritage.'

Curious at the mention of this Arlathan, Khorieus remembered the Elder of the Alienage, Valendrian mentioning it. From what the Chracian had learned it had once been the ancient homeland of the elves of this world. He was told about how the ancestors of these elves were conquered by humans many millennia ago.

For a moment, Khorieus was reminded of the wandering Strigany of _Elthin Arvan_. Humans who had once ruled a nation called Strigos within the Badlands, but had lost their homeland to the green hordes. His experience with the nomads had been interesting to say the least, for while he felt a certain mixture of pity for the wanderers who often faced persecution; he couldn't get by some of their affiliations especially towards their "Old Fathers".

'And what of your people, friend?' asked the Matriarch 'we are curious to know of the elves from your land, for we have never seen anything like you?'

With solemn reverence, Khorieus spoke 'Lady Naharynath and I are both of the _Asur_, the High Elves of the Blessed Isle of Ulthuan. We are The Guardians of the Light, The Sons and Daughters of Asuryan. Within our veins, flows the Blood of the Phoenix'

The other Elder then spoke with equal gravitas 'And we are the Dalish; keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path. We are the last of the _Elvhenan_, and never again shall we submit.'

With that, Khorieus spoke to the two elders, telling what he could of his own people, of the High Elves. It was interesting to say the least for the Chracian warrior. A meeting of two peoples, between the _Asur_ and the _Elvhen_, between two peoples who were quite literally, worlds apart but both sharing the common tale of lost glories from days passed.

* * *

><p>Seeing Khorieus leave the Elder's carriage, the one which Illenya believed were called <em>aravels<em>, the Ellyrian raised her right hand a little and waved it towards the Chracian. A grim look was upon his face and she knew that he must not have heard something pleasant.

As he drew closer, Illenya asked 'What did you and the Elder talk about?'

'I asked if they knew anything which could aid us in going home' Khorieus said wearily 'unfortunately, they knew not.'

'Perhaps they may know of someone who can, or perhaps offer us a place where we can start looking' Illenya said in a comforting tone.

With a sigh Khorieus replied 'I do not know old friend, such magic must surely be powerful and we are not mages. Without the Winds, I cannot even begin understand how the people of this world use their magic.'

'I am sure we can find a way' she said with a faint smile. 'Do you remember _Cuahtan_' she asked, referring to one of their previous adventures where they had to escape a Lizarmen temple in Lustria while having to fight their way through not only the many reptilian guards but also a vengeful tribe of Amazons.

'That was different _Wylanh-Sayehk_' Khorieus said as he looked into her eyes 'we were in the company of the others.'

'We had believed that we were doomed and yet we had survived' reminded Illenya as she gently placed a bare hand upon his cheek 'trust in the Weaver of the Skein _Fersai-Hinaan_ for whether we embrace fate or not, it embraces us'. As Khorieus took her hand and held it close to him, she saw the Chracian give her a weary smile.

'Of course' he said softly 'it is simply that the possibility of being trapped in this world has weighed heavily upon me'.

'I understand you're meaning _Fersai-Hinaan_' Illenya said as she maintained her expression while trying to reassure Khorieus 'I would give much to see Ellyrion again.'

'And I would as well' he said 'for Chrace'. A companionable moment of silence passed between them before the two High Elves prepared to retire for the night.

* * *

><p>'I should go' Kallian said as she finished talking to Pol.<p>

With a nod from her former neighbor, Kallian went off to see where her companions had gone to. It did not take long for her to see her companions speaking to each other, likely in their own language. Hearing quite footsteps to her right, Kallian glanced to the side and saw it was Theron who was now wearing a fresh set of light green clothes and seemed to be looking much better than in the previous days.

'_Andaran atish'an_ my friend' Theron said in a respectful tone as he gave her a slight bow.

'And hello to you' Kallian said in a friendly manner 'I am glad to see you are well now'

'I have you and your companions to thank for' replied Theron with a smile and Kallian could not help but blush a little at this handsome fellow. A moment of awkward silence passed as she looked at Theron a bit bashfully and Kallian saw that he felt quite the same. Kallian was the first to break the silence as she asked

'So what happened? Back there at that castle I mean' Kallian said

'I am not quite sure' Theron replied 'it mostly was all a blur. I remember going into some ruins with a friend, Tamlen and we found something, a mirror.'

'A mirror?' Kallian asked, curious as of how he had been captured and had survived being taken by the Darkspawn for she had heard many horror stories regarding the creatures 'was it magical?'

'I believe so, yes' Theron nodded 'There was a blinding flash of light and the next thing I knew, I was being carried away by those… Darkspawn'

'So how did you end up in that jail cell?' asked Kallian

'I remember hearing voices in my head, a burning fever coursing through me and I was terrified of the creatures around me' Theron said as he kept his composure quite well despite what must have been a terrifying event. 'I recall being taken to a dark hole and some part of me knew that if I went in, I would never see the light again. I lashed out and tried to get away, I remember the pain as one of the creature's stabbed me in the leg. I ran and I guess I managed to find my way to that cell'

'That must have been terrifying' Kallian said with a bit surprise for she had been terrified as well when she had first encountered the Darkspawn.

'It was' he nodded 'but here in the Brecillian where the Veil between our world and the Beyond is thin, unnatural things can be seen at times, just before Tamlen and I had found the mirror, we encountered the restless dead'

A shudder ran through Kallian at the mention of the undead. Like the Darkspawn and the demons, she had heard many terrifying tales regarding these unnatural creatures. She may not have once believed in their existence but her encounter with the Darkspawn had changed such notions.

'And you?' Theron asked 'how did you manage to come by such strange companions and away from the cities?'

'It's kind of a long story' Kallian said with a shrug as she was already feeling a bit tired for the night 'If it's all right with you, I can tell you in the morning'

'Of course, you all must have had a long journey.' Theron nodded 'until then I look forward to meeting you in the morning.'

Parting ways with Theron, Kallian searched the camp for the two _Asur_. The Dalish were helpful in providing directions and they seemed like rather nice people, they had even offered spare some clothes and blankets for her. Kallian of course politely accepted and offered her thanks; this definately must be a good start she thought.

Eventually finding Khorieus and Illenya setting out bedrolls around a small fire near the base of a tree, she smiled to her companions and they greeted her as well. Weary of the day's travel, Kallian would soon fall into a deep and restful sleep.

* * *

><p>As the morning light of the sun filled the sky, Solona set the last pieces of weapons and plate armor upon the merchant's cart. The dwarf merchant had given her what she supposed was a good price.<p>

'Are you sure I can't interest you in this hat? The dwarf said as he held up a pointy wide-brimmed hit which probably would be a bit comical for the mage to wear. 'A pair of earrings perhaps? A cheese knife?' continued the dwarf.

'No thank you, the boots, gloves and armor will be fine' Solona said. The merchant's son who was a beardless fellow was carrying a light suit of leather armor with a pair of boots on top which he handed to Solona.

'Enchantment?' asked the beardless dwarf expectantly

'No thank you that will be all' declined Solona as she spoke in a polite tone

Paying the merchant's price, the dwarf smiled and said 'Pleasure doing business with you my lady'

With a smile back to him, Solona turned around and walked away as the two dwarves continued to follow the Imperial Highway with their cart. A few minutes later, she saw Yransair sitting cross-legged under the shade of a lone tree; she guessed that he would be meditating now. At a closer look towards the tree, it seemed like one of the tree's branches had been cut off.

Having sold the equipment of the Templars, Solona knew that she would not be ready to go around wearing such heavy armor. Yransair had suggested that she try something lighter first. The rune imbued sword she had kept from the Templars lay within its sheath as it rested beside the elf along with his helmet while his great sword rested upon his lap.

Gently looking up to her, Yransair asked 'Do you wish to begin training again Solona?'

With a confident nod, the elf sheathed his great sword upon his back and he set the blade under the tree's shade. Reaching for the rune sword, he rose up to his full height. Handing the sword to Solona, she thanked him as she took it.

'I will just change then' Solona said and Yransair nodded.

Going behind the tree, Solona removed her dressed and began putting on the leather armor she had bought. The armor itself was a bit heavier than what she was normally used to wearing but not by much. Attaching the sheathed sword to the side of her belt, Solona straightened up and went back towards Yransair.

Finding her companion patiently waiting for her with his gauntleted hand resting upon the hilt of his long sword, Yransair nodded and slowly drew his weapon. Solona nodded as well and she drew the rune sword with the practiced skill the elf had shown her. While the sword was heavier and it seemed a bit uglier in comparison to Yransair's own, it took only a minor adjustment for the mage to adapt to the new blade.

'Begin' the elf said.

Holding the rune sword in both hands, Solona cautiously circled around Yransair who held his ground. With a series of side steps to the left and right just as he had taught her, Solona tried to confuse the elf before lunging with a thrust.

Yransair quickly and easily parried the sword before Solona swiftly retracted and swung the weapon towards his neck. The elf again parried the weapon and he began to speak and offer words of both encouragement and advice.

Just as before, she trained with the use of swords and had even casted more than a few spells at him. Yransair had used his own magic to defend against Solona's and no harm was done to him as he remained on the defense. As they sparred and trained with both spell and sword, Solona had to admit that she was enjoying this.

There was a sort of primal yet enjoyable feeling of excitement as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her practice with combat spells back in Kinloch Hold primarily consisted of casting spells and counter spells while remaining stationary and under the constant watch of the Templars. Here though, she was free to use her powers to its full potential and the addition of the swords added an interesting twist to it.

Thrusting her rune sword towards the elf's gut using only her right hand, Solona quickly bent the Fade to her will as she quickly whispered words of power. As she expected, the elf parried her sword as left her hand was positioned towards him with the palm facing his chest. Finishing her spell and feeling heat buildup, a blast of flame leapt out of Solona's hand and it engulfed the elf.

Yransair was instantly enveloped in a magic sphere of white light which blocked out the flames. Swiftly leaping to her left and rolling upon the ground, she saw that the elf was unharmed as wisps of steam rose up from his armor. A look of approval was upon Yransair's face and Solona could not help but be pleased as well.

* * *

><p>Stretching her limbs with a loud yawn as she stood, Kallian felt well rested from the previous night's rest. Dressed in a light green dress, she could smell the cooking fires around the camp as the Dalish were preparing to break their fast. She wondered where her companions had gone off to; with a shrug she knew well enough that they should be fine.<p>

Not quite sure on what to do now, Kallian guessed she could go ask around and see if anyone needed help with anything. There were a number of times in the past back in Denerim where she managed to pick up some "jobs" by just looking for people who looked like they had a problem. She also sometimes made some extra money by looking through crates and containers.

As Kallian looked for her companions, she saw the male _Hahren_, Paivel speaking to a group of four children who surrounded him. Reminded a little of Valendrian and wondering how the old man was doing, she also wondered about her father, cousins, betrothed and friends and hoped that they were all fine. While she was a little sad to be away from them, Kallian felt hopeful that she would return soon and that was enough for her to know.

The _Hahren_ noticed her and waved for Kallian to come to him. Acquiescing, Kallian moved towards the gathering of children around the Elder.

'Good morning to you child' the old man said with a friendly smile, the children around him also greeted her with a good morning in unison. 'I was about to tell the children of the fall of the Dales, do the Elders of the Alienages tell of this as well?'

'We only know the Chantry's side of it in the Alienage' Kallian said for she would not be surprised if it was a highly biased version. 'What of yours though?' she asked 'what is your version of the story'

'I will be glad to share it with you then' the _Hahren_ said 'I trust you already know of how we were once slaves yes?'

'Indeed' Kallian said with a nod 'We were once slaves to a human empire who practiced dark magic and after Andraste led the slaves in rebellion, the empire fell and we were freed'

'That is correct' the _Hahren_ said 'after the fall of the Tevinter Imperium, our Ancestors left to build a new homeland in the Dales, worshipping the Creators and rebuilding the culture and history we lost in our long years of slavery.'

'Then the humans made war with us' Kallian said. The Chantry version of course said it was the elves who started it, she had a feeling that the Chantry says a lot of things though.

'Yes they did' the _Hahren_ continued 'They were resentful: because we would not worship their Maker, and because we put our people first. Over the years, their nations grew cold toward the Dales. In their eyes, we were blasphemers and cruel tyrants.'

'And that is why they declared war on us?' Kallian asked for in the Chantry's version the elves practiced dark magic and were kidnapping humans which was why they launched their Exalted March. Again, it was likely just propaganda she thought to make themselves look better for the future generations.

'And so the Dales Fell.' The _Hahren_ said 'They took our lands and dispersed our people, forcing us to live in their cities and abandon our gods.' The last part touched Kallian for that was the beginning of her ancestors in the Alienages. The _Hahren_ then continued 'But many of us refused to relinquish our ways. We instead chose to scatter to the winds, wandering the lands'

'To this day' the _Hahren_ then said 'we survived and continue to preserves our culture, our clans stay apart until the day the _Elvhenan_ have a homeland once more'

'Would this homeland include my people as well?' Kallian asked

'We are all one people child' the _Hahren _said in a comforting and fatherly tone 'but one day we hope that we can teach our kin within the cities of the lore we have lost and that perhaps you may teach us to understand the humans'

'I am sure some of us will be glad to do so, thank you for the tale Elder' Kallian said with a bow

'I am grateful for the chance to tell you. There is one last thing though before you go' he added. 'The Oath of the Dalish' he said, looking to the children, he asked them to recite it.

As one, the four Dalish children looked to Kallian and they recited in proud tones 'We are the Dalish; keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path. We are the last of the _Elvhenan_, and never again shall we submit.'

* * *

><p>Inhaling a deep breath of fresh forest air, Theron Mahariel felt good to be out hunting again. Armed with a bow provided by Master Ilen who claimed that it belonged to the craftsman's father, the Dalish Hunter travelled in the company of Illenya who rode upon the back of her horse. It was not lost upon Theron regarding the similarities between the names of the craftsman and the foreign woman.<p>

From what he had been able to learn, both Illenya and Khorieus were called the _Asur_ or the High Elves. He guessed with the latter name, they were called such on the count that they were rather tall. Tied to the sides of the horse's saddle were a number of small dead animals which would be brought back to the camp in preparation for consumption.

While Theron had hunted alongside with many members of his clan and even hunters from some of the other clans, he had never met anyone as skilled as Illenya. He would often hear her whispering what he guessed was a prayer to one of her deities during these hunting trips; specifically it was to something called _Koornoss_ or something like that. Her skill in hunting was almost supernatural and when they had first met, he had also seen how skilled she was in battle.

Illenya's steed, Asfalrhan was magnificent to Theron; he had never seen a horse like it and the way it seemed to get along with the Halla was surprising. He remembered hearing stories from _Hahren_ Paivel about how before the fall of the Dales, the Halla once bore elven warriors much like how humans did with their knights. It would be amazing if he could get her to show him how to ride and fight, perhaps he could train one of the Halla to carry him?

Having never met anyone like her, Theron had to admit that he was more than a bit interested with the high elf woman. Illenya was unlike any other maiden he had met, she was not only beautiful but also graceful, gentle and perhaps one of the best fighters he had ever met. He and Tamlen had both been trying to impress her, but their attempts only seemed to elicit amusement from Illenya.

Guessing that they should head back to the camp soon, Theron signaled to Illenya his intent. The high elf nodded and said something in her language before turning her horse around. While communication with her had been hard for she spoke very little of the both the common tongue and had been able to pick up what little the Dalish knew of their own language, there were many times Theron felt that at the least, Illenya understood his words.

As they made their way back to the camp, Theron noticed a small patch of white wild flowers. With a grin, he stopped to pick one up which had five pristine petals. Hearing Illenya call his name, he quickly hid the flowers behind him as he looked to her. Moving a bit faster and catching up with her, Theron smiled as he looked up to her. He heard Illenya say something in her language with a curious tone, it was quite clear that she had seen him get something.

'I have something for you' he said as he continued to grin and he quickly presented the flower to her. 'I think the humans call it Andraste's Grace' he said as he smiled back to her 'Although I am sure Andraste was not as graceful as you.'

Gently taking the offered flower, he saw her smile a little as she looked at it. Illenya then looked back to him and gave him a warm look. She dismounted her horse and gently landed upon the forest floor, standing at full height, Theron face was a little bellow her bosoms. As Illenya looked to him and their eyes made contact she said something in her native tongue.

It was both beautiful and yet at the same time there was something sad in her tone. Amongst her speech, he heard Illenya place emphasis on three words, _Oriour_, _mornah_ and _Sarior_. She then raised the back of her right hand to stroke the side of his cheek; he enjoyed the feeling of her hand as she continued to speak more words.

She then gently pressed her lips upon his forehead and nodded with a warm smile while saying something again in her language. Not quite sure on the meaning, he knew that he should probably consult Khorieus and try to learn their tongue. As Illenya gave him a last look which seemed both pleased and yet sad, she re-mounted her horse and they continued to travel back to their camp.

* * *

><p>'Are you sure you are still fit to travel? Yransair asked with a little concern<p>

'I will be fine, don't worry about it' Solona said reassuringly for their sword lesson from earlier had been more intense. She had cast Rejuvenate upon herself earlier and had quickly recuperated from their session.

In the distance, Solona could see the line of trees leading to what she believed would be the Brecillian Forest. She remembered reading about how the Dalish elves often traveled there and that the Veil is supposed to be very thin there. She tried to ask Yransair why they are going there but he had remained vague and cryptic about it. She was beginning to suspect that he actually enjoyed the obfuscation.

Still wearing the leather armor she had purchased and carrying the now sheathed rune sword by her waist, Solona hoped that she would look more like a common sellsword. Heading towards the forest with her hand near the hilt of her sword, she warily eyed the forest as they drew closer. Having never seen so many trees together all at once, Solona began to remember stories about barbarians who often came swooping down on the unwary.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm her nerves, Solona followed Yransair into the forest.

* * *

><p>'Fine craftsmanship, these' commented Khorieus with satisfaction as he made a number of practice swings with a pair of war axes provided by the Dalish smith named Ilen. The High Elf was now clad in his white and red silk archer's uniform as he practiced with the two axes.<p>

While certainly nowhere near as light as a proper _Asur _forged war axe, the High Elf found little problem with adjusting to the weight of the weapons. With their elegant design and the sharpness of the steel blades, Khorieus considered it to be an adequately serviceable weapon. Perhaps he should take these two axes as a souvenir; he would be willing to earn it of course.

'We call it the _Dal'Thanu_' spoke the smith as his hands were wrapped around the butt of a much larger axe with twin blades and three spaces inside the weapon. 'Our people often use it for cutting both wood and flesh'

'A good weapon' Khorieus said as he quickly turned around and hurled the two axes at a pair of training dummies. The two axes swiftly flew through the air and embedded upon the faces of the dummies. With a satisfied nod, the smith handed Khorieus the larger axe.

'Now this one!' he said with pride 'is called the _Dal'Thanaan_'.

Taking the large axe, Khorieus found that despite its size, it was quite surprisingly light and balanced. This one seemed to be forged from a silvery metal which shined brightly. Considering the _Dal'Thanaan's_ size compared to the elves that made it, the High Elf could imagine that an enemy would consider it comical for someone so small to wield something so big.

In exchange for testing these weapons, the smith had been deeply intrigued by Khorieus own gear. The smith had spent much of the morning studying the _Ithilmar_ plate armor, his blessed Ellyrian crafted bow and the heirloom great axe of the Chracian's House. Ilen had asked Khorieus about the smiths of the High Elves, to which the warrior then told the smith about Vaul the Maker and his smith priests.

The smith's reaction was one of admiration in regards towards the creator of the Ninety Nine Blades. In return, the smith told Khorieus about some of the Dalish's own beliefs, particularly of the deity known as June who seemed to be their closest equivalent to Vaul. Having listened intently, he had thanked the smith for sharing the knowledge of their beliefs.

Making a number of practice swings with the _Dal'Thanaan_, Khorieus tried performing some of his exercises and techniques. Eventually he became satisfied that the _Dal'Thanaan_ was also an adequately serviceable weapon. Handing the weapons back to the smith with a satisfied look and a nod, the Dalish elf gently took the axe and carried it to the back of his carriage whilst Khorieus looked about to see the rest of the Dalish clan going about their business.

Compared to the poverty and squalor Khorieus had seen in the Alienage, it was a nice change to be among these Dalish elves. The Chracian could not help but also feel pity for what these elves had, for like his own people, the High Elves had lost much in the endless wars. Khorieus also felt a small measure contempt for the elves of this world for allowing themselves to be enslaved and not fighting till the end or attempt to keep on fighting.

And yet there was an energy amongst them, a vibrancy in the lives of the elves this other world which in the past he thought only existed amongst the race of men. To have been able to survive and endure through what must have been centuries of persecution, mistrust and conflict while still being able to look to the possibility of a brighter future had deeply touched Khorieus. He could not help but also feel a sense of admiration and protectiveness towards these others elves. If he could, he would stay and do what he could to help them grow strong.

Alas, his duties to Ulthuan and his own people came first. Although he had left his homeland to seek battles across _Elthin Arvan_, he had never forgotten his allegiance and loyalty. On a number of occasions during his adventures, Khorieus had participated in quests which were aligned with the interests of the Phoenix Throne.

Perhaps he could convince some of these other elves to come with him? Back to his world and towards Ulthuan? Swiftly dismissing the idea, it would likely not end well for them as the wars the _Asur_ and their allies fought were terrible things which left only death and sorrow. He could not allow these others elves to be subjected to the eternal wars of his own world; he would rather let the Pale Queen take him to the _Mirai_ than allow it to come to pass.

As the smith returned, bearing Khorieus equipment, the High Elf spoke 'I am impressed with the quality of your work, they are both elegant and mighty, it strikes the balance between artistry and practicality'

'And I thank you' said the smith with a grateful look 'for giving me the chance to study the works of your people'

Formally bidding farewell to the smith, Khorieus turned around to see what else he could do to help around. Illenya had gone off hunting and Kallian was probably around somewhere and mingling with the rest of the Dalish clan. He supposed he should speak to the Keeper and try to acquire more information regarding this world, specifically regarding the mage tower at Lake Calenhad.

Noticing soft footsteps a short distance to his right, Khorieus turned his gaze and he quickly spotted one of the other Dalish elves looking at him. It was a maiden with black hair and eyes like Kallian's but was dressed in a similar outfit as the Keeper. Quickly noting the staff upon the maiden's back, Khorieus concluded that she must be a mage as well.

'May I help you child?' Khorieus asked, he guessed that this was the Keeper's apprentice, the one called Merril.

'I would like ask and know more about your people' Merril asked

'And what would you like to know?' Khorieus asked once more.

'About their magic, the lore and the people' she replied

Hiding his amusement to the maiden, Khorieus was reminded of a particular Wood Elf mage who had incessantly asked him many questions regarding Ulthuan, he wondered if that mage was fine now for she had been the rare bright gem amongst the rest of her backwards kind. It was not like the Chracian had anything else to do really for he was sure that he had plenty of time within the day to speak to the Keeper. Deciding to humor the maiden

'I will be glad to tell you of my people then' Khorieus said in a polite manner.

* * *

><p>Looking up to the canopy of the trees above, Yransair Stormwing could easily tell that the stars should be up by now. Near him was Solona who was tending to the fires of their campsite, he was a bit amused earlier at her struggling and soft cursing as she had tried the rather mundane method of using flint and tinder. She had quickly grown frustrated and set the fire pit ablaze with her magic.<p>

Sitting down cross-legged and placing his great sword upon his lap again, he focused his will upon the trapped Winds within his equipment as Yransair attempted another divination spell. Instead of summoning a raven or any other kind of bird to do his bidding, the Loremaster's eyes soon shifted its perception of reality. Using his Spiritsight, Yransair began to scry the forest around them and seek for the power he had felt.

He could sense the foreign power of the so-called Fade around him; Yransair noted that it was somewhat stronger here within the forest when compared to the lands outside of it. Reminded a bit uncomfortably of Athel Loren, the Loremaster maintained his focus and continued with his divination. As he searched, Yransair felt a sudden malignant presence somewhere in the woods; it was the same tainted thing he had felt earlier.

Through his Spiritsight, he studied the strange creatures which were not far away from their position and were drawing closer. He saw that there were nearly three dozen of the things. Some of the creatures seemed to be short and broad like dwarfs and the others seemed to be of a similar height in comparison to men. One of the creatures radiated with the energy of the Fade, a spell caster he guessed.

Quickly returning to his body and switching back to his mundane sight. Yransair opened his eyes to see Solona staring at him; he could tell that she still was more than a little disturbed at the sight of him whenever he used his Spiritsight, or any other form of divination for the matter. With no desire to withdraw for he knew that the key to returning home lay within this forest, the Lorsemaster decided to face these things sword to sword. He would need to draw their attention towards him and make sure that most of the war band would focus its efforts upon him, it would be a waste if Solona were to be cut down.

Quickly putting on his helmet and reaching for Tempestfang, the Loremaster commanded 'Draw your blade child! There are enemies about!'

* * *

><p>Swiftly drawing the runic long sword, Solona looked towards the darkness of the forest with alarm.<p>

'Is it the Templars!?' she asked with worry.

'No, something worse…' Yransair said as he moved into a defensive stance and scanned the forest 'use your magic and imbue yourself child!'

Having learned to trust the elf's instincts, she quickly obeyed and began whispering words of power as she began casting Rock Armor upon herself. Feeling her flesh harden, the mage felt more confident that if these foes carried swords, the spell would protect her as well as a knight's armor. A tense moment of silence passed as she stood her ground and searched the darkened woods as well, her heart thumped loudly under her breast and she could feel her hands begin to sweat more profusely.

'What is it Yransair?' Solona asked a bit terrified as she remembered some stories about cannibalistic wilders who rape and torture people for sport. 'What do you-' she said but was interrupted as she heard a sudden whistling sound as the elf swiftly raised his great sword with the guard in front of his face. There was a loud metallic clang and the mage was surprised to see an arrow shatter against his weapon.

A loud bestial roar filled the air and Solona looked with alarm towards the sound. She heard Yransair whisper a spell of his own and the power of the Winds began to course through him. Swiftly thrusting his left hand forward, the elf fired a bolt of lightning into the darkness, she soon heard roars of rage and agony as whatever was attacking them was struck.

The elf then began to shine with white light which banished the darkness and he charged forwards into the brush. She saw and heard several plants rustling as several things were moving and Solona could smell an awful, charnel stench. From the brush, there came several horrid creatures which she quickly recognized from the pictures within the history books she had loved to read. With horror she whispered

'Darkspawn…'

* * *

><p>Patiently tending to a campfire, Khorieus watched as the flames cooked the pieces of meat, wild fruit and vegetable which were skewered with sticks. Deciding to show the Dalish a bit of Arabyan cuisine which he generally found to be more palatable compared to those in the human nations north of the desert realms, a number of them were quick to try out this new method.<p>

'Should be ready by now' Khorieus said and he saw Kallian eagerly taking one stick. As he was about to get one for himself, Khorieus suddenly stopped and he looked up, his gaze quickly shifted as he scanned the canopied sky above, he had felt an all too familiar rush in the distance.

'What? What is it?' Kallian asked a worriedly.

Quickly standing up and grabbing his bow and a quiver of arrows which lay near him, Khorieus sprinted off into the forest. Shortly after leaving the camp, he heard the sound of hooves thundering behind him. Looking back he saw Illenya upon Asfalrhan with her bow in hand, of course they would have felt it as well for there was no mistake that despite its distance and faintness, it was the Winds; they had felt the very Winds of Magic.

Hardly believing it, Khorieus had just felt the distant surge of the Winds again. The two High Elves moved as swiftly as they could, following the source of the Winds.

* * *

><p>As a bolt of lightning leapt forth from Solona's hand, she watched as one of the creatures were struck down by her spell. A tall armored darkspawn of the Hurlock breed was quickly upon her and it swung its sword towards the mage. Quickly moving her sword in an attempt to parry, Solona missed and she felt the Darkspawn sword crash against her hardened flesh.<p>

Feeling the powerful impact as the blade struck under her right arm, Solona shouted in pain as she felt her rib fracture from the attack. Swiftly thrusting her sword forwards, the blade punctured the armored creature in the gut and dark blood which burned upon contact had splashed all over her hand. Feeling as sorry for the dead creatures as she did for those freakishly overgrown spiders, Solona gritted her teeth as she kicked the mortally wounded Darkspawn off of her sword before finishing it off by severing its neck.

Casting a spell of healing upon herself, Solona soon felt much better as her bones began to re-knit back into their proper place. She saw Yransair being assailed by the many of the monsters, he shouted words of power as he cast a radiant ray of light which incinerated several of the Darkspawn. The burning light was soon followed by storms of arcane lightning and the sweeps of his great sword which cleaved many of the creatures.

As with the Templars, Yransair was unnaturally fast. His movements were a shining blur as heads and limbs were swiftly severed and bodies were incinerated by the volleys of lightning and burning light. Quickly focusing on her own defense, Solona remembered the defensive stance Yransair had taught and she shifted towards it and was soon assailed by five more of the Darkspawn. Channeling the Fade once more, Solona thrust her left hand forwards and fires burst out from her palms.

Three of the Darkspawn were incinerated by the flames and a fetid smell akin to rotten pork being cooked assailed her nostrils. Gagging at the smell and trying to shield her nose, Solona heard the roars of the two other Darkspawn as a Hurlock wielding a mace leapt up with its weapons held over its head. Running forward, Solona tackled the darkspawn with her head smacking against the section of its plate armor which protected the spot where a man's belly would be and her shoulder striking its armored groin.

The creature though was both heavier and stronger than Solona and she was knocked down by it. The Darkspawn's mace missed by mere inches from the mage's head as it brought its weapon down. The second Darkspawn, a short and broad thing of the Genlock breed was wielding a pair of daggers and was already upon her. Plunging both of its weapons down towards her, Solona managed to roll away in time to avoid the blades from impaling her chest.

A bolt of lightning shot out from Yransair and it struck the mace wielding Darkspawn, the lightning quickly jumped to the dagger wielder and both were incinerated by the electricity. Looking to her companion who still glowed bright, she saw him continuing his deadly dance.

As the Darkspawn focused their attention upon the elf, Solona quickly drew upon the Fade once more and cast Rejuvenate upon herself. Feeling the invigorating effects of the spell, the mage tightened her grip upon her sword. The magic light which radiated around the elf soon became brighter as if she were looking into the light of the sun and yet there was not harshness to it, she felt warmth like a summer sun upon her flesh. Growing confident as she gazed upon the light, she realized that he must have cast a spell which was affecting her mind.

Embracing the power of his spell, Solona tightly gripped the hilt of her sword and began whispering a spell. Sparks of electricity began dancing across the mage's fingertips, Solona felt confident and ready to meet more of this foul foe.

* * *

><p>With the Winds of the <em>Hysh<em> and _Azyr_ at his call, Yransair was bathed in an aura of electricity and light. Already, several of these… Darkspawn as Solona had called them were backing away from him; their corrupted essence reacted adversely against the purifying effects of the Wind of Light. All except for a single tall creature which carried a staff and a barbaric head-dress as a wisp of light danced around it, the magic wielder Yransair had sensed earlier.

Wreathed in a shimmering orb of blue light, the creature had been staying back and using its magic to imbue its allies and cast spell which could not penetrate the Loremaster's aethyric shield. And yet during the battle, Yransair's own spells could not pierce the shield of this creature. Swiftly bursting into movement, the Sapherian sprinted towards the enemy magician with Tempestfang trailing behind him, its tip carving a thin furrow upon the earth.

The Darkspawn sorcerer pointed its staff towards the Loremaster and a massive ball of fire burst out from the top of the staff. The fireball flew towards the High Elf, leaving the smell of burnt air in its wake as orange light illuminated the darkness. Swinging Tempestfang upwards and cleaving the fireball, Yransair was bathed in flames. Intense heat washed over him as the fires kissed his armor and leaving it steaming from the heat, he hissed in pain but ignored it as the Loremaster swiftly continued his sprint.

The Darkspawn took a step back in surprise and quickly began casting another spell. With a loud war cry upon his lips, Yransair leapt forward with Tempestfang held high, its blade pointing towards the foul sorcerer. The sorcerer cast a flurry of freezing cold which chilled the Loremaster, but already it was too late for the creature.

Thrusting his great sword forwards like a spear while roaring the name of his homeland, Tempestfang impaled the monster in its hideous visage, cleaving it between the eyes and reaching from chin to the top of its skull. Knocking the foul beast upon its back with the great sword still embedded in it head, the Loremaster quickly landed upon his feet. Wrenching his sword up as he kicked its twitching body off of the blade before swiftly returning into a defensive stance.

The Darkspawn soon began to flee from both he and Solona, their morale broken by their spells and swords. Out of spite for they had reminded him of those tainted by Chaos, Yransair hurled bolts of lightning at the fleeing creatures. Hearing the pained noises of the corrupted creatures, the Sapherian was highly satisfied at the sight of their demise.

Looking to Solona who heavily panted as dark blood stained her armor and flesh, she tightly held her sword which also dripped blood in both hands as arcane lights danced around her and soon began to die out. Dispelling the magical enchantments he had cast upon himself, the Loremaster saw his companion eventually do the same. Solona's hair hanged down in an unkempt mess a she continued to breath.

'Are you all right Solona?' Yransair asked for he could see the wide-eyed shock and relief upon her face as the courage inducing effect of the Guardian Light spell.

'I'm- I'm fine' Solona said as she continued her somewhat loud breathing. Running a hand over her messy hair and pushing it back.

'You have made me proud child' said the Loremaster with calm sincerity. 'Now let us see if these creatures bear anything useful upon them'

* * *

><p>Enjoying the taste of this strange combination of herbed meat, fruit and vegetable which was skewered with a stick, Theron thoroughly enjoyed the food which had been prepared by the high elves. He wondered where they went though for according to Kallian and several of his clansmen, their two guests just up and left. He was sure that they were coming back because they had left much of their belongings.<p>

With a shrug, Theron looked back to Kallian who was warming her hands by the fire. He really did not have the chance to talk to her earlier or the other high elf, the Keeper had insisted on questioning him further in regards to the ruins and the mirror both he and Tamlen had found previously.

'Do you have time to talk?' Theron asked as he looked to Kallian 'I am still quite curious about hearing how you had met these high elves.'

'Oh right, about that' Kallian said with a polite smile 'well it was kind of weird really. I was err… out on a stroll around Denerim and…'

* * *

><p>After checking another of the dead Darkspawn for any valuables, Solona had already found a few coins and some weapons which seemed to feel just… filthy and corrupted by touching it. The mage began to remember the stories of the Darkspawn taint and how it supposedly was spread through the blood, or according to some sources of rather dubious credentials, perhaps by simply being around them or with a scratch or bite from the things.<p>

Worried that she herself may have been tainted, Solona tried to quell the rising panic within her. Taking a series of deep breaths and reminded herself that if she was tainted, she should be feeling sick right now, or at least she hoped so. Checking the body of one of the genlocks, she noticed the staff of the Darkspawn Emissary nearby.

She saw that it was an ugly thing and would not be surprised if it too was also tainted. Taking the staff and feeling a bit disgusted, Solona decided to hold on to it until she found a better one. Going to another body which had been severed in half with its eyes having been reduced to blackened holes, Solona was sure glad that it was dead.

Searching the body as she did with the others, she soon heard the sounds of hooves from a horse. With eyes widening in alarm, she turned around to see Yransair already up with his sword at the ready. She then heard a feminine voice calling out from the woods in a song-like tongue.

Yransair quickly replied in the same language and he sheathed his sword. Stepping from the shadows atop a magnificent white horse, Solona saw a woman with fair skin, blue eyes and golden hair and clad in dark brown leather clothing. In her right hands she carried a bow which was wreathed with blue fire.

'Yransair?' said the confused voice of the mounted woman who quickly descended. At a closer look, Solona realized the woman was also a one of these high elves or _Asur_ as Yransair called his people. To the mage's surprise, they held each other in their hands, in a very close and intimate manner.

The woman said something again in her language, to which Yransair replied in their tongue. Solona heard him say a name, Illenya. The other high elf woman then looked to the forest and soon there emerged a larger looking elf in robes of white and red with white hair and icy blue eyes. The third elf carried a bow in his hands with an arrow already upon the string. The third elf glanced towards her and gave a nod before looking back to Yransair.

'Khorieus?' asked Yransair as he continued to speak in their native tongue. As the three of these elves gathered, Solona could not help but wonder. What in the Maker's name is going on here?


	9. Elthrai

_Darkness… all he could see was darkness and yet he could hear the distant sounds of drums beating in a fierce rhythm. He heard a great whooshing sound as if from the wings of a great bird and soon there was heat. An intense burning heat could be felt as if he were too close to a raging inferno, but most horribly of all was a roar. A mighty beast roared at the top of its lungs, the sound of which filled the sleeper with a deep sense of primal terror, it was a nightmare he wished to awaken from and yet he could not._

_Soon the sleeper saw the lights of several torches within the darkness. Each torch was held by a hideous creature with a visage which seemed to be a horrible parody of the races of dwarves, elves, men and other things he knew not the name of. In one horrified moment, the sleeper saw that there were thousands of the creatures, each one garbed in armor or carrying weapons which spoke of only one purpose, War…_

_War was coming, he could feel it within the creatures, and he could feel their bloodlust and savagery as they desired nothing more than to bring death, ruin and destruction. Among this terrible army, the sleeper saw what was perhaps the most terrible of them all. Upon featherless, leathery wings was a massive, horned serpentine creature which breathed fire. There was no mistake on what it was, a Dragon._

_A dragon was leading this army; the sleeper felt the darkness and corruption within it. Roaring once more, the Dragon's voice reverberated across the darkness, across the stones and in the very bones of all that surrounded it. The sleeper then heard the whispers which entered his very thoughts, the whispers which were like a thousand voices speaking all at once, soon became a single deep voice which spoke of only one thing, one overriding desire which engulfed him like a flood._

_A War to end all wars…_

* * *

><p>With eyes suddenly opening with gasp, Theron Mahariel quickly looked towards his surroundings with alarm. He was in the same place where he had gone to sleep, at the back of his <em>aravel<em> of which only he was the living thing within it. Taking several deep breaths of the cold night air as he tried to calm himself, he felt an intense tightness upon his right hand. It was only then he noticed how tightly his hand clenched the hilt of his _dar'misu._

It was the darkspawn, he dreamt of those monsters again as he had for many nights now. Ever since he and Tamlen had found that mirror in the ruins, ever since they had been taken by them, the foul creatures had haunted his dreams. He had heard stories about how the Taint of the darkspawn carried with it madness, pain and change, he dearly hoped and prayed to the Creators that he was not going mad and that he was truly cleansed of their corruption.

Knowing that he would not be able to find further sleep this night, Theron shook away these dark thoughts and decided to take a walk around the camp. Casting off a fur blank, he sat up and began bemoving his light green clothes, he went towards his lock box where he kept his suit of leather armor as well as his bow. Needing only a minute to change into his armor and get his bow and quiver, Theron soon hopped off of the back of his _aravel_ and landed upon the soft grassy earth.

Looking up to see the night sky, Theron was able to see the position of the moon and he determined that it should be three hours after midnight. Unbothered by the cold night air, Theron quietly walked around the camp as he tried to forget the dream he had, but it seemed so real, more than ever before. As he passed by the sleeping forms of his kin, the hunter did not wish to bother them for at this time, only the ones assigned to sentry duty would still be awake.

On the edge of the camp, he noticed one of the sentries standing guard, the guard then glanced towards Theron and he saw that it was Fenarel who waved towards Theron. Waving back, Theron decided to might as well talk and see if anything has been happening tonight.

As he drew closer, Theron heard the voice of Fenarel ask 'Shouldn't you be resting _lethallin_?'

'I've been lying around and doing just that for days' Theron said with a shrug 'it's nice really to be walking again'

'As you say then' nodded Fenarel a bit unsure. 'Is it true what that flat ea- eh, Kallian says?' he asked 'that you and Tamlen were taken by Darkspawn?'

'It is yes' replied Theron a bit uncomfortably at the mention of the creatures

'And you are fine?' Fenarel asked with concern 'no more sicknesses or pains?'

'Nothing to worry about _lethallin_' Theron said as he tried to assure his friend and possibly even himself 'but it looks like Tamlen got the worst of it'

'Keeper Marethari and Merril say that Tamlen should be fine though' Fenarel then said a bit worriedly 'I just hope whatever had afflicted the two of you does not leave any long lasting effects'

'That is not reassuring to hear you know' Theron said.

'Sorry' apologized Fenarel 'it's just that, I have never heard of any tales of the Darkspawn's taint actually being cured. All the tales I know of regarding it involves those tainted either dying or becoming one of the Darkspawn'

'I don't know as well' shrugged Theron 'perhaps the _Asur_ have powerful magic?'

'Perhaps, but I cannot say for sure' replied Fenarel.

'So what has been going on with your shift?' asked Theron as he dearly wanted to change the topic

'Lady Illenya and Khorieus have not returned yet' Fenarel then said 'Kallian does not seem worried though'

At the mention of the city dweller, Theron wondered if she would be asleep by now. Most likely, but when he had talked to her earlier and she told him about how she had met the high elves, Theron could clearly tell that she was covering up certain details, he guessed that she probably was a thief or some sort of troublemaker. For all he knew he thought with alarm, she could be sneaking around the camp and trying to steal something from his clan.

Shaking his head and dismissing the thought, he knew he should not think ill off one of his saviors. As he was about to speak, Theron suddenly felt a strange tingling sensation that sent waves of unease through him.

'_Lethallin_? What is it?' asked Fenarel who noticed Theron becoming visibly disturbed.

Hearing whispers again in his mind, Theron's eyes widened eyed horror as realization struck him. Swiftly leaping towards Fenarel, he knocked his clansman to the ground, Theron heard the swift whistles as arrows flew over their heads. The camp was under attack! The Darkspawn were here!

* * *

><p>Adjusting her belt, Kallian Tabris she gently tightened it around her waist. When she had finished, she stepped out of the bush where she had gone to answer nature's call. Whatever herbs Khorieus had put in their dinner had certainly proven to be a bit too rich for Kallian's stomach. With a satisfied sigh, she quietly made her way back to the Dalish camp.<p>

As she walked back, Kallian saw Theron and the other Dalish hunter named Fenarel who had greeted them the previous night. Waving to them, she was about to call out until Theron suddenly leapt and tackled Fenarel. Surprised by this, Kallian took a step towards them before a sudden flash of pain exploded from the side of her right shoulder as something scratched against her.

'Oh Maker!' hissed Kallian as she quickly looked to her shoulder in shock and she saw an open wound which profusely bled. Ignoring the pain, she threw herself upon her stomach; Kallian soon heard a pair of thuds as arrows struck the tree beside her.

Looking around to see where the arrows came from, she saw Theron rise up with his bow in one hand and an arrow already knocked. Theron then fired an arrow into the darkness and he quickly ducked out of sight, Kallian soon heard a pained roar in the distance which was soon followed by angry shouts. Emerging from the brush, Kallian saw several hideous creatures which she recognized as the Darkspawn.

Muttering a profanity for she did not have her daggers or crossbow, Kallian got up and made a run for it towards the camp. Keeping her head low as she heard the bestial voices of the Darkspawn and the clattering of armor from some of them, she did not look back as her heart beat intensely.

'Kallian!' she heard the voice of Theron call out from her right.

Looking towards Theron's direction, she saw him holding something in both hands which he tossed towards her. Despite the darkness, she saw that it was a pair of sheathed daggers which landed near her. Reaching for the weapons, Kallian's finger's tightly grasped the hilts of both of the Dalish daggers which they called _Dar'misu_, she then swiftly pulled the blades out from their sheath and the city elf felt more confident in having a proper weapon in both hands.

Hearing the steps of the darkspawn drawing closer, Kallian quickly rose up in time to meet one of the hideous creatures. Unlike squat things she had killed days earlier, this one was as tall as a human man and in its hands it carried a curved sword and shield of a cruel looking design. The darkspawn savagely shouted at the sight of Kallian who began to feel a bowel clenching terror. Steeling her resolve, she reminded herself that the creatures bled and because they can bleed, they certainly can die.

Quickly sprinting towards the tall darkspawn, the creature swung its shield towards her to which she quickly ducked underneath and side stepped to the monster's right before driving one dagger into the monster's right thigh, between its armored greaves while the other stabbed into the leather which covered its right armpit. The darkspawn roared in before thrusting the pommel of its sword towards Kallian, the blow never landed for it was suddenly struck by an arrow to its neck it began making a gasping sound.

Without mercy, Kallian slashed the creature's throat, its dark blood further gushed out upon her clothes. Quickly switching to a defensive stance as she flipped her daggers in a reverse grip, she soon saw three more of the darkspawn emerge from the brush. Each of the things were of the taller breed like the one she had just slain, each of the creatures were armed with swords and shields.

One of the three darkspawn jerked its head back as an arrow was suddenly protruding from its right eye, the other two creatures ignored their slain comrade and they charged Kallian with a fierce warcry. Sprinting towards the creatures with grim resolve, she saw one of the darkspawn thrust its sword towards the city elf while its comrade swung its weapon towards her. Swiftly raising both of her weapons, Kallian caught the two blades upon her own and with a deft flick of her wrist, she parried the swords while leapt back to make some space for herself.

Another arrow quickly whistled passed her and it struck one of the darkspawn in the neck. The last one simply charged at the city elf with another roar of rage. Shouting as well towards the creature, Kallian was getting really tired of these loud monsters. The darkspawn raised its shield as it began sprinting towards her as well and the monster hardly seemed encumbered by its plate armor.

As the two closed in, Kallian quickly leapt to the darkspawn's left at the last moment; the creature swung its shield wide which nearly connected with her head. Dodging the darkspawn's shield, Kallian was soon behind it and with a swift flip of her weapons; she drove both of the dar'misu daggers into flesh beneath the darkspawn's armpits. The creature soon collapsed with a whimper for her dagger which had pierced the left side had stabbed the monster's heart.

Pulling the blades out, she turned back to hear the sound of more heavy steps coming towards her.

'Over here Kallian!' came the voice of Theron again. Sprinting towards the direction of Theron's voice, Kallian soon came face to face with the hunter who held a bow with another arrow knocked. 'Are you all right?' Theron quickly asked with as his eyes were focused on searching for more of the darkspawn.

'Just a scratch, nothing to worry about' Kallian replied while panting, noticing that he was now alone, she then asked 'where is Fenarel?'

'He is getting the others' was Theron's answer before he swiftly raised his bow and fired over Kallian's shoulder and soon hearing another roar of pain, it was clear that Theron had struck another of the darkspawn. 'We need to hold them off until the others arrive!' Theron said in a surprisingly commanding tone.

'All right, let's go' nodded Kallian for while she had a lot of reservations against the idea of fighting these things, she certainly had no wish to run away and be thought of as a coward. With grim resolve, the two of them stood their ground, against the oncoming band of Darkspawn.

* * *

><p>Following the trio of elves, Solona Amell wondered what they were talking about. Like Yransair, each of them were tall and slender creatures which moved an unnatural degree of grace. From what she could tell, the one riding upon the back of the white horse was named Illenya of whom seemed very close to Yransair. The other <em>Asur<em>, the silver haired archer who was even taller and notably broader than the other two of whom was named Khorieus had also seemed to be on good terms with Yransair.

They had spoken to each other in their lilting, song-like tongue for a few minutes before Yransair had properly introduced them. While the Asur woman did not speak the common tongue, the white robed archer though was able to speak to Solona and had earlier informed the mage that they would be travelling towards a camp of the Dalish Elves.

While Solona herself had never encountered the wandering folk, she had read and heard about them from the elves of the Circle. What really intrigued her was that the Dalish had their own mages of which were called Keepers. While such mages would be considered as Apostates by the Templars, Solona was interested in speaking to and learning what it is like to live free from the shackles of the Chantry.

Solona was also worried though for she had also read about how some of the Dalish clans were rather aggressive and hostile towards humans. She could hardly blame them, considering their history; the mage just hoped that she didn't end up getting an arrow in the eye before the night was out.

As the mage continued to follow her companions who spoke in their own language, she could not help but be curious if like Yransair, these two were also capable of magic.

* * *

><p>'And that was how you had come to this world as well?' asked Khorieus in Eltharin as Yransair Stormwing explained the circumstances of how he had come to this world as well.<p>

According to the Loremaster, he had been fighting a band of Norscan Marauders who were led by a Magus of the Lord of Change. The barbarians in question had been tampering with one of the Waystones in Kislev, an event which the Sapherian had foreseen and he had been quick to arrive at the Waystone before the Norscans did. After a brief but intense battle alongside a _rota_ of Kislevite troops who were led by one of their Boyars, victory belonged to Yransair and the Kislevites until the Magus had used a scroll much like the sorcerer Khorieus had slain.

'Indeed' confirmed Yransair who then continued 'When I had arrived in this world, I was rather disoriented and confused at first and then I encountered a group of human knights who were in the company of Solona here and another human girl. At first I had thought that I back was in Albion but after noticing the lack of the Winds, I had quickly concluded that I was certainly not there.'

'Were these humans of the Templars?' Khorieus then asked for he had a feeling that indeed they were.

'Yes they were' replied the Loremaster a little surprised 'at first they seemed puzzled by my appearance, but the moment I had attempted to wield _Hysh _to perform a spell of healing upon myself, they had quickly turned hostile.'

Knowing the Loremaster well, Khorieus was certain these other Templars had met their end at the edge of Tempestfang.

'What of the human here, the mage?' Khorieus asked 'you said there were two humans in the company of the Templars'

'The other one ran off after I had slain the Templars' Yransair said 'I know not what happened to her but Solona had used her magic to imbue and heal me'

'It seems that we all have been acquiring new companions' noted Illenya as she rode upon Asfalrhan 'Khorieus here had picked up a child from what passes for elves in this world while I myself had been accompanied by another.'

'About that' Khorieus added and then spoke with a little concern 'I have noticed the way Theron has been looking at you, he does know about you, doesn't he?

'I have not been able to tell him in a language he understands' Illenya replied a bit embarrassedly 'I think it will be best if I were the one to inform him though'

'Then we shall endeavor to teach you the language of this world, _Wylanh-Sayehk_' Yransair said with a smile.

'And I shall be glad to learn from both _Fersai-Hinaan_ and you, _Oranos-Kalaan_.' Illenya then said with a smile as she looked towards them.

While Khorieus was glad to be amongst his oldest friends, he soon began to become worried at the possibility of others from their world arriving upon this one. Could there be other _Asur_? What of men, dwarfs or worse? What if there were Greenskins which shed their spores or Skaven who multiplied just as quickly?

As these foreboding thoughts began to fill the Chracian's mind, he quickly pushed them away and decided that he should discuss it with his companions later. As he took another step, Khorieus suddenly stopped along with his companions for they soon picked up the fetid stench of the Darkspawn once more. Illenya quickly galloped ahead of the group with Khorieus himself soon following her.

The Chracian heard the Loremaster call to the human mage and told her to follow them. The human obeyed and soon began running after the _Asur_.

* * *

><p>As another of the taller Darkspawn fell with an arrow to the neck, Theron saw Kallian parry the sword of one of the shorter ones with her right hand <em>dar'misu<em> which burned with arcane fire while her left one which also blazed had stabbed into the creature's face. Quickly had his clan gathered and already they were unleashing a punishing volley of arrows while the Keeper and her First were already casting a barrage of spells towards the Darkspawn.

From the very earth, enchanted roots and thorns burst forth to entangle or impale the Darkspawn where they stood while elemental spells had burned, electrocuted or frozen many more. To his surprise, Kallian remained in the thick of the fighting, her daggers moved with great alacrity as her body as well as the rest of his clan's warriors had been imbued with magic from the Keeper. Soon enough, the Darkspawn turned and fled at the combined fury of the Sabrae clan.

With a ragged cheer of victory from his clan mates, Theron felt exultant in delivering retribution to these creatures which had haunted his dreams. As the creatures ran, Theron fired another arrow which struck a short Darkspawn in the back of the head. Wishing nothing more than to pursue and slay more of the things, he heard the voice of the Keeper who commanded them to let the Darkspawn leave.

With adrenaline still pumping through his veins, Theron quickly looked towards his clan mates and loudly asked 'Is everyone all right?'

The voices of his kin spoke out and there were several confirmations. Pleased that everyone had made out alive with a many having injuries which would not be too difficult for a few health poultices to fix. Looking towards Kallian who breathed heavily as she was drenched in dark blood, her daggers which had been set ablaze had then extinguished.

'What were those things!?' suddenly said the voice of their new clan member, Pol whose tone was filled with horror and shock.

'Those were Darkspawn' replied Theron grimly as he looked to the city dweller

'But they were defeated centuries ago!' replied their new clan mate with disbelief.

'That's what I thought as well' came the panting voice of Kallian as she flipped the twin _dar'misu_ blades and handed their hilts towards Theron. Stowing his bow upon his back, Theron gently took back the two blades with a satisfied nod towards Kallian who gave him one as well.

Hearing more roars in the darkness from where the Darkspawn had retreated, there was a sudden bright flash of white light in the forest which was followed by a loud boom which sounded like thunder. The voices of the Darkspawn echoed in the darkness as the clash of steel echoed and soon it was over. Briefly peering into the darkness, Theron soon saw the familiar bright blue flames of Illenya's bow.

The high elf woman emerged from the brush and into the view of the Dalish. Accompanied by Khorieus who also emerged from the foliage, Theron was about to call out until he saw another tall figure who glowed with white light and was clad in silvery armor and a pointy helmet. Another high elf realized Theron who could see that this newcomer wielded in his hands a great sword which sparked with lightning.

Following them was to his surprise, a _shemlen_ woman wearing leather armor. The _shemlen_ wielded a long sword in her right hand and a staff which blazed with fire from the top, a mage he realized.

'Well looks like you all got here a bit late!' called out Kallian to the party of high elves and the one human. As the party drew closer, it was Khorieus who replied

'We were indisposed' he said. 'We found another of our kin in the forest' add Khorieus.

As the Dalish looked to the newcomer who removed his helmet, Theron saw that this other high elf had hair which was white as snow and eyes like silver.

'I bid you all greetings Children of the Dales' said the new comer in a very formal manner 'I am Yransair Stormwing, a Loremaster of the White Tower of Hoeth and a close companion to my esteemed kin.' The high elf, Yransair then introduced the _shemlen_ to them 'And this is Solona Amell, a mage formerly of the Circle.'

The _shemlen_ gave them a polite bow as she sheathed her sword, at a closer look Theron found her to be quite attractive but he remained wary of her. His kin bowed in return but Theron knew that like him, the rest of his clan would be suspicious and on the alert around this woman for most of the Dalish had lived with a lifetime of animosity towards the race of Man.

'_Andaran atish'an,_ Son of Ulthuan' greeted the Keeper with formality while she looked exhausted from her use of magic. 'While we welcome you to join us, the human in your company though will have to be disarmed'

'What!?' said the woman named Solona. 'I will-' she said before the new high elf looked to her and whispered something to the _shem_. The woman looked towards Yransair for a moment and then she sighed and finished 'comply.' Sheathing the sword and removing its sheath around her waist, she offered both the blade and her staff as well which Fenarel stepped forward to take.

It would be for the best Theron thought for having an armed human walking around the camp was just a recipe for disaster. Ushering their guests towards the camp, Theron Mahariel hoped that this night would further pass without any more incidents.

* * *

><p>'So how did you find that Yransair fellow?' asked Kallian as she wearily walked alongside Khorieus back to where they had set their bed rolls and left their equipment. After tonight though, Kallian swore that she was going to start sleeping with her weapons and armor on her.<p>

'Illenya and I had felt Yransair's use Winds of Magic' replied Khorieus 'it was then a simple matter of following it.'

'You felt it?' asked Kallian a bit confusedly.

'Yes _mornah_' answered the high elf 'as I have mentioned in the past, Ulthuan is saturated by the very Winds of Magic. Many of us _Asur_ are sensitive to its flow and we can feel easily feel the presence of the Winds.'

'So you can feel it when there is a mage around?' Kallian asked again

'Only when the magician in question uses magic for they alter or disturb the flow' clarified Khorieus 'but some rather powerful mages have presences which can be felt even when they are not casting spells.'

'Okay then…' Kallian said while guessing that she got the gist of it.

'Do your people not feel the presence of magic?' asked Khorieus.

With a shrug Kallian replied 'I don't think so, but I heard some stories about how before in Arlathan, all the elves knew or could learn to use magic'

'A shame then' Khorieus said 'among we _Asur_, magic is as simple to learn as wielding a sword or a bow'

Tilting her head and still quite confused, Kallian then asked 'can you use magic?'

'A little, yes' nodded Khorieus

'I thought you weren't a mage' Kallian said with surprise.

'I am not' Khorieus then said

'But you can use magic?' Kallian asked confusedly

'A few cantrips and prayers, certainly not enough which would truly make me a mage' Khorieus insisted.

Still confused, Kallian decided to just drop the case. 'So what's the plan then?' she asked as the two of them arrived by the fire pit where they had set their equipment near. Going to her gear and kneeling beside her folded armor and weapons, Kallian was more than eager to put her gear on if there were Darkspawn in the forest.

'Yransair has informed Lady Illenya and I of a ruins located some distance away' Khorieus replied. 'He believes that the key in aiding us towards returning home lies there.'

Kallian's eyes widened in surprise at him mentioning of being able to his own world 'oh' was all she could say. As she picked up her armor and stood up, Kallian could not help but feel sad at the thought of Khorieus leaving.

'Is something wrong _mornah_?' Khorieus asked with a hint of concern as he looked to her.

'It's nothing' she said softly as she walked away from the fire while seeking a place to change her garments and be left to her thoughts.

* * *

><p>Drawing upon a small measure of the Wind of <em>Hysh<em> while whispering words of power, Yransair's left hand glowed with a warm comforting light as he healed one of the injured Dalish elves. When the archer's wounds had been healed, the archer rose up and gave thanks to the Loremaster who then moved to attend another one. The elderly matriarch and her apprentice as well were tending to the wounded with their own spells or alchemy.

Hearing the steps of booted feet upon grass, Yransair glanced back to see Solona looking at him a bit crossed and at the same time, wary of these Dalish elves. She had told him in the past about a bit about some of the history of the elves of this world and the Loremaster would not be surprised if some held a grudge towards the humans of this world. It's not as if Yransair's own world did not have its fair share of folk who bore grudges and vendettas which carried across the generations.

'Can I help you Solona?' asked Yransair.

'Are you sure we should be here?' Solona quietly asked with a nervous edge in her tone.

'I am certain that as long as we do not overstay our welcome, we both shall come to no harm' Yransair then said with a smile. 'I know you feel uneasy being here' he added 'perhaps you can make yourself more welcome by assisting us.'

Solona considered his words and he could see from her expression that she would do just that. He saw her go towards one of the wounded and she began to cast a spell of healing upon the injured Dalish. With a satisfied look, Yransair quietly turned back to attending the injured.

* * *

><p>Gently stroking the side of Asfalrhan's face, Illenya sang a traditional melody to her horse which was soon calmed by the song. The magnificent white elks the other elves called <em>Halla<em> had rather responded well to the Ellyrian's song and soon the creatures of which had been rather agitated, had also began to calm. Hearing the voice of the maiden, Marren of whom seemed to be offering words of praise towards the Illenya, the Harbinger looked to the maiden and gave her friendly smiled in gratitude.

If what Yransair said was true in regards to the ruin, Illenya would be glad to return home to their world. She had to admit though that in many ways, she had become fond of this world and its people. It was unfortunate though that she needed to return home for the Harbinger and her companions still had their duties towards Ulthuan and in the case of the Lady of the House of Naharynath, she had many responsibilities in Tor Elyr.

Asfalrhan then gently turned away and walked towards the center of the corral where many of the Halla gathered as they prepared to sleep for the night. Turning around, Illenya made her way to part of the camp where Khorieus, Kallian and she had set their belongings. She noticed how many members of their kinband were now on guard, a safe precaution to be sure.

Arriving at their camp where she found Khorieus putting on his gauntlets as his weapons and helmet lay to his right, the Chracian then looked towards her and smiled. Illenya also noticed the child; Kallian was already fast asleep across Khorieus and garbed in her leather armor with her weapons by her. Smiling back to Khorieus, Illenya went towards her own war gear which had been neatly piled together.

Removing her hunter's garb and stripping down to her undergarments, Illenya hardly cared that Khorieus was there for in the centuries past, they had both fully seen each other without any garments on multiple occasions. Putting on her silken Reaver's uniform which would be worn under her armor, Khorieus had politely offered to assist her to which the Ellyrian respectfully declined for in the centuries she had been amongst the Reaver Knights of Ellyrion, complete self sufficiency was considered one of the most important things to learn.

After putting on her armor with her helmet lying beside her, Illenya sat herself down by the left of Khorieus. Gently resting her head upon one of his pauldrons, they quietly waited in a comfortable silence for Yransair to come to them.

* * *

><p>Not having to wait long for the Loremaster to come to them, Khorieus and Illenya looked up to the Sapherian who had Tempestfang sheathed upon his back and holding his helmet within the crook of his right arm. With a nod, Yransair laid his swords to one side and he sat himself beside Illenya, now would be a good time to consider their plan.<p>

'Do you think it is just us who have arrived upon this world?' Khorieus asked a bit worriedly towards his companions.

'I know not _Fersai-Hinaan_' sighed Yransair, his tone made it clear that he too had thought about this and it equally worried the Loremaster.

'It is a most foreboding thought' Illenya added and it was clear that she too had also given the matter thought. 'There may be more of our kin, perhaps the others as well' she added.

'Or worse' quietly said Yransair for the idea of something like Greenskins, Skaven, _Druchi_i, Vampires or worst of all, Chaos running rampant across this world was troubling to say the least.

Khorieus then looked towards Yransair and asked 'Could you perform a divination to find anyone or anything else from our world?'

'A few leagues but not for any greater distance' replied Yransair with a defeated sigh 'the stars above this world are unfamiliar to me and without the Winds, I am only able to perform minor feats of divination.'

'So what happens if something terrible from our world has arrived? What shall we do about it?' Illenya then asked with worry.

'If we find it, we slay it' Khorieus said grimly 'I would not wish for the Eternal War to come into this world.'

'Agreed' nodded the Loremaster 'for now though, I believe we should focus on finding the ruins where I had sensed the power emanating'

'How are you so sure that what we seek lies there?' Illenya asked a bit skeptically.

'I do not know' shrugged the Loremaster 'I simply have… a hunch.'

'And you said these Darkspawn things are infesting these ruins?' Khorieus asked and Yransair nodded. 'Well it is worth a look' continued the Chracian 'my plan primarily involved going further west towards a tower full of Mages and guard by those Templars. The former may perhaps not be very welcoming of us but the latter will certainly be hostile.'

'How did the two of you anger these Templars so?' Illenya asked rather curiously and with a bit of disbelief.

'I believe as the humans say' Khorieus replied 'wrong time, wrong place'. With nod from the Loremaster, he simply voiced a similar sentiment.

'I think I know where these ruins are' Illenya then said 'when Theron and his friend, Tamlen had been taken by the Darkspawn, I followed their tracks to what seemed to be a cave with standing stone pillars in front of it'

'That is the one' nodded Yransair for he had seen the pillars in his divination.

'It is decided then' Khorieus said 'we shall find this ruin, slay any Darkspawn that get in our way and we find the source of the power you had mentioned'

'A sound plan _Fersai-Hinaan_' nodded Yransair.

'And what of our… Charges?' Illenya asked. The question hung heavily upon Khorieus and he could see that his companions felt the same as well.

'I suppose we leave them here' Khorieus said a bit hesitantly 'I am sure Theron and Kallian will be safe within this kinband'. Illenya agreed a bit hesitantly with the Chracian and they looked to the Loremaster who also was quite for a moment.

'I shall be taking Solona with us if we find a way home' Yransair then said 'according to her, the Templars have some magic which allows them to find renegade mages.'

'Are you sure?' asked Khorieus a bit incredulously for in their world, humans were rather ignorant and fearful towards magicians and were easily riled up into forming lynch mobs. 'I do not think bringing a mage from this world be a very wise choice' he added 'would this human not be in peril? What if she could wield the Winds?'

'I have tried that and no' Yransair then said 'Solona is unable to draw upon the Winds of Magic for I had previously seen her attempt to wield one of my Power Stones.'

'Then she would be powerless' Illenya said with a bit of pity for in their world, a mage could be severed from the very Winds of Magic itself with a practice known as Pacification.

While hardly used amongst the _Asur _or even the humans of their world, Khorieus and Illenya were familiar with the practice and for a magister to lose their connection and ability to wield magic was like losing a great part of one's own self. It would be akin to being blinded or deafened or the sudden loss of a limb, and those analogies were simply the best case scenarios.

'Would she be ready for such a thing?' Khorieus then asked 'even if this mage comes to our world, what then? Will you take her in as you have with all those others?' he then added for Yransair had a bit of history in picking up stray humans.

'I have already given the matter much thought and have already made my decision' Yransair said with finality 'it was also Solona's own decision and it would not be difficult in helping her finding a safe place within Eataine.'

'And what of our wars?' added Illenya grimly 'would she be ready for the wars of our world?'

'She is a human' Yransair said 'she will adapt and learn.'

Not quite thinking that this was a good idea, Khorieus knew that there was no swaying the Loremaster when he was determined like this. With a sigh, the Chracian decided that the matter was concluded and for now, they should focus on these ruins. If the Darkspawn were the only things which were keeping them from going home then they would carve a bloody path through them for the_ Asur_ would stop at nothing in their quest to return home.

* * *

><p><em>The following dawn <em>

'They are going to the ruins?' Theron asked a bit fearfully and with disbelief towards Kallian how had informed him of the High Elves' plan. He was not pleased by this for he was quite sure it was the same ruins where he and Tamlen had found the mirror.

'Which also is, according to that Yransair fellow is now infested with Darkspawn' added Kallian a bit reluctantly.

'Are you going with them?' Theron asked

Kallian nodded and said solemnly 'I kind of promised to myself that I would help Khorieus get home, I owe him that much.'

While Theron was certainly against the idea of going back there, he could not stand by and let the high elves leave on their own, he owed Illenya and Khorieus as well and he would do whatever he could to help them get home. He also at the least would want to say one last good bye towards Illenya.

'I am coming along then' Theron said determinedly.

'Are you sure?' Kallian asked a bit worriedly 'wasn't that the place where you got sick?'

'I think so, yes' confirmed Theron and he could see from Kallian's expression that his response was not exactly reassuring for her. 'They were able to heal me right? I am sure that if you come down with something, then they would be able to heal you as well.'

'I guess so…' Kallian then said a bit reluctantly.

'I will have to make preparations for the journey ahead' said Theron

'I should go' nodded Kallian for she too would need to get ready.

As the city dweller walked away, Theron could not help but feel a small bit of sadness if it was true that the ruins held the key in aiding them in returning to their world. He also felt a bit of apprehension for what if the mirror was still there, its corruptive influence could afflict all of them. With a deep breath, Theron knew that they will have to cross that bridge when it came.

For now, he would need the Keeper's permission to leave and investigate. While he was sure the Keeper would not be very fond of letting him go, he was confident that she would let him if it meant repaying the debt their clan now owed to the High Elves.

* * *

><p>After being given back her staff and sword, Solona felt glad to be armed once again. Looking to her companions who now were composed of Yransair, the horse rider named Illenya, the larger <em>Asur<em> named Khorieus who was clad in plate armor and wielding a battle axe and then there were two other elves that were of the kind she was more familiar with.

The male elf was a rather dashing looking Dalish archer she had learned was named Theron Mahariel who seemed rather polite. Solona could tell though by the way he looked at her that Dalish fellow was both wary and suspicious of her. She was not sure if it was because she was a mage, if it was because she was human, or perhaps both.

Then there was the dagger wielding one named Kallian Tabris who apparently had actually come from the Alienage in Denerim. Solona had a friend back in Kinloch who also came from Denerim's Alienage and she wondered if they knew each other, probably not for most mages were taken to the Circle as children. Kallian though seemed friendly if a bit a wary as well, the city elf had mentioned how her last encounter with a mage almost left her frozen to death.

Feeling rather out of place in this party of elves, Solona kept a calm and patient façade as she reminded herself to be on her best behavior and try not to antagonize any of them. At the very least with this group around, she would not have to worry about being called an Apostate and expecting to get a sword in the gut for it she had learned the _Asur_, Khorieus was also in some sort of trouble with the Templars.

As the party bid farewell to the Dalish, they travelled into the forest with Theron at their lead. For several hours, they walked under the canopy and passing through the brush and briar of the forest. They stopped to rest before noon and they continued to travel onwards to towards the ruins where according to the Theron, he and a friend had found some sort of magic mirror.

There was something about the mention of this magic mirror which seemed familiar to Solona and had piqued her interest. She remembered once reading something about how in the Tevinter Imperium, such things existed. Already, she had broached the subject with Theron and he had informed her about how the ruins he and his friend had found seemed to have been built by humans or perhaps it was co-inhabited by humans and elves.

Having read more than a few adventure stories in the past, Solona was actually intrigued but also she was filled with trepidation towards the idea of going into some monster infested ruin with traps and according to Theron, undead as well. She feared the restless dead for such creatures were merely corpses possessed by Demons of the Fade and a mage such as she would make for a more tempting target for a Demon and as they travelled deeper, she could feel the thinness of the Veil like a charge in the air.

The journey itself would prove to be uneventful to say the least for while Theron and the High Elves had found Darkspawn tracks or signs of their passing, of the creatures themselves though, none were found. The High Elves volunteered to take watch during the nights and it seemed to Solona like each one were tireless in their travel.

It was during the mid afternoon of the second day of their travel that they would eventually find the ruins. The place where Theron had become infected by the Darkspawn Taint, the place where the dead supposedly walked, the place which may just be their goal and possibly where Solona could finally be rid of the Chantry and their Templars.

* * *

><p>Looking to down to Yransair as he used his Spiritsight, Illenya saw the gentle movement as the Loremaster slightly raised his head.<p>

'Are there more those creatures _Oranos-Kalaan_?' asked the Harbinger in Eltharin.

'Indeed' replied the Loremaster 'I sense the presence of more of the Darkspawn, their taint is corrupting the ruins'

'Then we will have to be careful' nodded the Ellyrian as she dismounted Asfalrhan.

She saw Khorieus lift up his axe in readiness while Yransair did the same with his great sword. As they had done in so many battles of the past, the two of them would be at the front at the thickest of the fighting while the rest of their _Senthanos_ would have remained behind to provide ranged support. For a moment, Illenya was worried at the idea of the other members of their _Senthanos_ were upon this world.

It would be best thought the Harbinger, if the rest of their companions stayed behind and fought from afar. Relaying her intentions towards her companions, it was Yransair who translated for her and soon she saw the three natives of this world obey as Theron held his bow out, Kallian held her crossbow and the human, Solona thumped the bottom of her staff to the ground.

Looking towards the hunter, Illenya supposed now would be the best of times to tell him. Seeing Khorieus speaking to Kallia, likely saying his possible farewell to her, Illenya asked for Yransair to translate for her to which the Loremaster acquiesced. Calling to the hunter's name, Illenya walked towards Theron and as he looked towards her, she could see his smitten look towards her.

'There is something you need to know child' Illenya said as Yransair translated 'Although I have become rather fond of you, my feelings for you are not as you have towards me.' Seeing Theron become a bit confused as the Loremaster translated, she then lifted up right hand and showed him a golden ring which was placed upon her ring finger. She had shown it to him in the past but she believed its meaning was uknown to him.

'This is a Pledge Ring, child' Illenya then said with solemnity. 'Back in Ulthuan, I am already married to a wonderful husband and have been happily so for three centuries. I have already been blessed to have borne two sons, both of whom are already fully matured to become leaders of my people with my eldest already having a daughter of his own.'

As Yransair continued to translate, she saw Theron look the Loremaster a bit confused at first before the Sapherian confirmed it.

'Oh…' Theron said as his shoulder slumped a bit. The hunter had accepted her words with a surprising degree of stoicism; it was nothing more than a simple crush from the child and it would pass in time. Taking another step forwards, Illenya raised her arms and embraced Theron.

'You are a good friend Theron Mahariel' Illenya then said as she lightly pressed his head towards her breastplate and continued 'I am sure that one day, you will make someone very proud to be you wife and you will have many strong children.' Feeling his own arms embrace her, Illenya gently pushed away and looked down to him with a smile, lowering her head to kiss him on the forehead, Theron stood up on his tiptoes and he quickly pressed his lips towards her cheek.

Giving her a warm smile and a look of understanding, it was all the Ellyrian needed from him. Looking to her companions, she saw Khorieus was also sharing a similar moment with Kallian.

* * *

><p>As Illenya said her farewell towards Theron with Yransair translating, Khorieus said his own towards Kallian. Looking down towards the child, he could not help but feel a sense of pride towards her.<p>

'It seems that this may be it _mornah_' Khorieus said 'I hope that you may return towards your home soon and I pray that you will live long and happily with your husband and kin.'

'It's been fun you know, despite all the fighting and the near death experiences' Kallian said jokingly, but her tone contained more than a bit of sadness to it. Raising her arms as well and wrapping it around his waist, she said 'I will miss you, Khorieus.'

'And I shall always remember you, Kallian' he said as he embraced her as well.

After a few moments of letting the moment pass, the party turned its attention back towards the ruins. Ahead of them was a wide ravine which according to Theron would lead into a caver where the ruins were. Already, Khorieus could feel the corruption of the Darkspawn within this place; it was almost like the fortress from a few days earlier.

The entire party travelled ahead and on foot with Asfalrhan behind them. It did not take long for them to encounter their first band of Darkspawn of which were composed of two of the shorter creatures which Solona had called Genlocks and one of the taller ones which were called Hurlocks. The two Genlocks were quickly cut down by arrows from Theron and Illenya while the Hurlock took a crossbow bolt to the chest from Kallian. With the three monsters slain with barely more than three seconds passing, the party advanced further into the ruins.

'We should be careful' said Theron 'when Tamlen and I were here, I had spotted a number of pressure plates and other traps within the ruins.'

'You disarmed them right?' asked Kallian towards the hunter in an intrigued tone.

'I did yes' confirmed Theron 'but who knows if the Darkspawn had managed to reactivate them.'

Moving ever onwards, Khorieus felt a strange tingling sensation as he heard the mage begin to whisper a spell. Clenching his axe more tightly, the Chracian felt invigorated by whatever by the human's magic, he felt his stamina replenishing as if he had taken the time for a long rest. Soon enough they saw another albeit larger pack of eight creatures which were busily feeding on the remains of a dead stag.

Two of the creatures were put down by arrows from Illenya and Theron, Kallian struck one in the right shoulder with a crossbow bolt. The remaining Darkspawn looked to them and roared in rage, they stood up with weapons at the ready and charged towards the party. Yransair thrust his left palm forwards while whispering in arcane tongue of _Anoqeyan_ and drawing upon the Winds of _Azyr_ within the True Sapphires embedded into his armor.

A bolt of lightning flew out from the Loremaster's hand and in a blink of an eye; it struck the center of the Darkspawn group and each of the creatures were engulfed in an explosion of electricity. As the incinerated bodies of the Darkspawn fell to the earth, Khorieus felt a hint of satisfaction towards their deaths. Following the path of the ravine, they quickly found their way towards the entrance of the cave and the party cautiously advanced with weapons at the ready.

* * *

><p>'Well… these ruins are certainly a lot bigger than I had expected' observed Solona as the party entered a wide hallway of stone with their steps echoing across the corridors. Their path was illuminated by an orb of bright light which floated above Yransair.<p>

'I for one am thankful that there is enough space to wield my axe' came the voice of Khorieus whose weapon blazed with a white fire. 'Too many times in _Elthin Arvan_ had I been required to fight in enclosed spaces' he added.

Having heard that name, _Elthin Arvan_ from Yransair, Solona knew that was what the name the Asur had given for one of the continents of their world. She remembered how Yransair had told her that in his world, magicians were not well accepted by most humans but in one country called Kislev, the people were ruled by monarchs called the Khan Queens with each one being a powerful sorceress with mastery over ice and snow.

He had also told her about how in one nation called the Empire, mages had banded together to form their own legitimate organization called the Colleges of Magic. At first she assumed it would be like the Circle but was later surprised to hear that this Colleges of Magic did only govern and police themselves but also were a major political force in this Empire with many mages becoming valued members of the Empire's military and economy.

Despite the current danger of the Darkspawn, Solona could not help but think about what magic lay within the world of the high elves. She remembered Yransair's tales of one group of sorceresses called the Grail Damsels which hailed from a nation called Bretonnia, she had been highly fascinated by the tales of magic from a land the elf had called Araby where men bound arcane spirits into inanimate objects.

Solona had also been intrigued by Yransair's tales a group of mages called the Truthsayers who seemed to hail from a barbarian people. The elf had told her of the lands far to the east of _Elthin Arvan_ or the Old World where in one nation called Cathay, the mages of this land blended their magic with various unarmed combat techniques.

Despite the strong possibility of becoming powerless for the Fade supposedly did not exist in their world, Solona had decided that at the least, it was not a guaranteed death sentence when compared to being chased by the Templar who still possessed her Phylactery. Feeling a mixture of excitement and fear at the possibility of leaving her own world, Solona's train of thought was interrupted when she heard the loud whinny of the white horse.

The high elf woman then said something in her tongue and heard Yransair speak in Eltharin. After a short exchange, she saw Yransair relax his stance and he began to whisper a spell. Closing his eyes for a moment, Yransair quickly opened them to reveal twin blue glowing orbs.

'What's going on?' asked Kallian Tabris with alarm

'He is using his Spiritsight' replied Khorieus 'I think the ruins are devoid of any other living thing'

'How are you sure?' then came the voice of Theron.

'Asfalrhan' was Khorieus answer as he glanced towards the horse whose hooves clopped upon the stones.

'The horse?' Kallian asked skeptically.

'Ellyrian steeds such as Asfalrhan have sharp senses and are even trained to assist in the hunting of elusive prey' Khorieus then said.

'Seriously?' Kallian asked with disbelief. As Khorieus was about to answer, they then heard Yransair speak up and give an all clear.

'Well that's a surprise' Khorieus then said 'I was expecting for there to be a large force of Darkspawn waiting for us within these ruins.'

'Perhaps those two war bands which had been slain were the main force' guessed Yransair. 'We should be thankful that our path is clear.'

With that, the party carried onwards into the ruins, taking a left at the end of one hall, they soon found a statue depicting what looked to be a winged woman who according to Theron represented one of the old gods of the ancient elves. Across the statue, they saw an open doorway where they found what they sought, the magic mirror.

'Stay back for now everyone' Yransair then said authoritatively 'we will go ahead for there is a strong corruption around the mirror.'

With a unified series of nods from the Theron and Kallian, Solona decided that she too should stay back. Watching as the three high elves went ahead, Solona made a silent prayer to the Maker that things would go smoothly.

* * *

><p>Sheathing Tempestfang upon his back, Yransair reached for his long sword, Nadja which glowed brightly in response to corruption. While the foul taint of the Darkspawn still lingered within the ruins, Yransair had been surprised that corruption was not entirely from the creatures alone. It was the mirror; the mirror was actually generating an aura of corruption which now saturated the ruins.<p>

Feeling Nadja's warm glow become stronger as the sword further bathed him and his companions in the purifying light of _Hysh_, he wondered for a moment if a small piece of the woman he had named the sword after still remained. It was most unlikely, but there were times when the Loremaster wondered otherwise.

Drawing upon the Lumenstones of his armor as he slowly walked towards the mirror with his companions behind him, Yransair focused more of the Wind of _Hysh_ as a precaution against the corruption. The mirror was placed upon a stone dais with two robed and weathered guardian statues which carried swords in one hand. In front of the mirror of which was shaped, almost like a door and with a short flight of stairs in front of it.

It was possible that this mirror was some sort of scrying device for he himself had experience with many such thing objects. For all he knew though, it could also be a sort of magic gate like the Paths of the Old Ones. Taking another step forward, Yransair saw something which looked a ripple of water from the reflective surface of the mirror.

'Did you see that?' asked Illenya cautiously with _Lecaihain_ blazing and an arrow of fire already in one of her hands.

'I did' replied the Loremaster with equal wariness. 'I shall investigate this, be wary' added Yransair.

'We shall _Oranos-Kalaan_' replied the deep voice of Khorieus.

Taking another step towards the mirror, Yransair began to climb the short flight of stairs. After a few seconds, he was already in front of the mirror with the two statues looking down upon him. Seeing another ripple and feeling a strange compulsion to lower his arcane defenses and look into it, the Sapherian resisted the compulsion through sheer willpower as he began to now draw upon the Wind of _Azyr_.

The mirror surprisingly seemed to react to the Wind of Heaven and soon the mirror actually began to glow with a shining light. As the light grew brighter though, the Loremaster suddenly felt the corruption growing stronger.

'Yransair! What is happening!?' called out Khorieus with alarm for both he and Illenya would surely feel the corruption now growing stronger.

Not having time to answer the Chracian, the Loremaster continued to focus his magic into cleansing the corruption while at the same time, using the Wind of Heaven to divine what he could from the mirror. Feeling Tempestfang spark to life while Nadja did quite the same, Yransair's spell which had begun as a whisper had swiftly risen to crescendo.

'Reveal unto me your secrets!' shouted Yransair in Eltharin as he unleashed a wave of arcane energy upon the mirror. For a brief moment he saw in his mind's eye, another mirror which looked to be somewhere underground. Focusing more of his own will towards the mirror, Yransair felt a fresh surge of corruption from the mirror itself.

Where once the corruption had been like a series of small holes in a dam, it quickly became several cracks which threatened to cause the very dam to burst. Without thinking and through sheer instinct, Yransair retracted his right arm with Nadja at the ready and he thrust the sword forwards. As the longsword pierced the surface of the mirror, a blinding flash of light engulfed the Loremaster who suddenly felt a sense of vertigo and weightlessness as he heard the sound of the mirror shattering. Soon enough, he felt the sudden and painful impact across his back and his head struck the stone floor.

Hearing a loud ringing in his ears as if a gun had just gone off right next to his head, Yransair heard the muffled voices of his companions as he felt someone was helping him up. With his vision still blinded by the bright light, the Loremaster's couldn't think straight as he felt even more confused and disoriented than when he had come into this world. He heard the voice calling his name and asking if he was all right, he saw the blurry outline of a woman's face calling to him and a memory returned to him.

'Nadja?' he asked with a groan and soon his vision and hearing began to clear.

'It's me, Solona' came the worried voice of the mage girl.

'I am… fine' groaned the Loremaster as he looked towards his companions confusion.

'What happened?' asked the deep voice of Khorieus Eltharin with an edge of worry in his tone 'what did you see?'

'North...' whispered Yransair weakly as his senses slowly returned to him 'we must go… north.'

* * *

><p>Riding upon a mighty Destrier which was appropriately armored in the metal plates and the colors of his Order, Jacob Darius was glad that after many days of travelling from Denerim, he could see the very gates of the Iron Keep which was lit by the mid afternoon sun. Accompanied by five of his remaining company, the Templar saw the party of eight plate armored guards giving him and his companions a respectful salute as they party drew closer.<p>

As the name said, The Iron Keep was fitted with several metal plates and spikes of dwarf-forged iron. In ages past, it had been constructed by the Tevinter Imperium as an outpost against the Alamarri ancestors of the people of Ferelden. Ever since the Imperium had lost control of Ferelden, countless Bannorns had fought for control of the Iron Keep and with each passing siege; its defenses had slowly chipped away.

In recent decades though, the Iron Keep had officially become the property of the Chantry and the Templar Order with pennants and banners being made clearly visible to all who came near it. Now serving as a base of operations for the Templars within the chaotic lands of the Bannorn, the Iron Keep also served as a prison for mages before being sent off the Circle or possibly even Aeonar. It certainly was not the prettiest of things to look at, but the fortress itself evoked a sense of rugged strength and the will to defy all foes.

At the head of the welcoming party was a man with long, wiry black hair, a thick and impressive mustache and a nasty burn mark upon the right side of his face while his left was heavily tattooed with sigils of their faith. The man had a great sword made from White Steel upon his back while another pair of swords hung from the sides of his waists.

'Captain Raonull I presume?' asked Jacob Darius with a respectful and formal tone.

'That is I, yes' the man said 'and you are Captain Darius of Denerim?'

'Indeed I am' nodded Darius

'Then we welcome you all in the Maker's name Brothers and Sisters' saluted Raonull. 'We already have quarters made available for you party and accommodations for your horses made ready.'

'We thank you brother' replied Darius with a salute as well 'I would rather that we get straight to the business at hand.'

Raonull gave Darius a nod of approval and spoke 'We can along the way, I will fill you in with the problems our chapter has been facing.'

'Have preparation been made?' asked Darius as his party was escorted by their fellow Templars into the keep.

'Indeed' nodded Raonull as he looked up towards Darius 'as you suggested as well as from our own independent requisitions, we already have several alchemical poultices, enchanted arms and armor and even the support of Mages from the Fraternity of Loyalists.'

'Good' nodded Darius with approval for while he disliked Mages, the Loyalist faction at the very least knew their place.

With the full might of an entire chapter, the support of the Loyalists, the various alchemical and enchanted goods as well as having the cooperation of several mercenaries and auxiliary troops who were interested in the bounty or were faithful in their cause, Darius knew that with their current force, they could overthrow a small kingdom. With a determined look upon his face, the Templar Captain was hopeful and perhaps even a bit more confident that they would soon finish with this mission and would finally avenge the deaths of his fallen comrades as well as all those slain by their mysterious fugitive.

Whispering a prayer, soon he thought, soon he would finally finish this.


	10. Thalui

Picking up a piece and gently moving it forwards, The Crone moved several of her pieces together in separate groups, each one supporting one another. Looking to her opponent's pieces, the Crone saw that many of the Raven's pieces were now grouping up as well. With many of the pieces now far away from each other across the board, the Crone was rather intrigued for this was a new tactic.

Among the pieces, there was a particular one which moved upon its own accord. A single piece, like many whose fate was not in the hands of either the Crone or the Raven and yet, one who was bound by a destiny which none could interfere in. Within this lone piece, the Crone saw many fates intertwined, some would grow stronger for it, while others met only an ending.

A single piece which represented so much. Death, rebirth, despair, hope, sin and redemption, a single piece whose actions would lead to both salvation and damnation.

* * *

><p><strong>ACT IV: KRIEG DER MARTYER<strong>

* * *

><p>With a mixture of pity, disgust and loathing, Darius looked down to see the crippled ruin of a man who was dressed in rags and seated upon a simple wooden chair. Devoid of his hands and legs, the man who was named Luthias Wallace, once a fellow brother of the Templar Order and now reduced to a crippled, catatonic, drooling, blank eyed piece of flesh and bone which needed regular attending towards for its basic bodily functions as it remained in the keep's clinic.<p>

The man had been found days ago in a tower which had once been used as a sentry outpost by the Orlesian occupation, the last survivor of a war party sent a week ago to capture a renegade mage. The Loyalist Mages, priestesses and physicians were not quite sure what had happened to the man, one mage even said that it was as if the man's very soul was torn out from him.

Not quite sure if he could believe such a thing, Darius had learned firsthand since the beginning of these strange events that anything could be possible. Already, he had heard the report from Captain Raonull, regarding this other individual, a tall warrior in armor of silverite and wielding a great sword. A squire of their Order who had been assigned to carry the renegade mage's phylactery had also reported that this stranger was capable of wielding magic.

There had also been a report which according to Captain of Raonull, had just come in the day before Darius and his party arrived. Apparently, a village near the borders of the Brecillian had some trouble with one of the wild Dalish Clans. While hostile occurrences did happen from time to time with the pagans and were often dealt with accordingly by official militias and local military forces, what intrigued Darius were some of the details which happened afterwards.

As the report went, the militia party had been ambushed in the forest by another tall silverite armored warrior who rode upon a white horse and was armed with a spear which blazed with magic fire. This warrior was said to have moved with an unnatural speed and in minutes, the entire militia band had been decimated. Apparently, there had been no casualties amongst the militia who were all severely injured by this stranger.

This last bit of information had been rather odd, that none of the militiamen had been killed. While this stranger certainly seemed to have some similar traits as the ones both he and Raonull sought, the fact that no one was killed was just perplexing. Why would this stranger leave those militiamen alive when the one he hunted had killed so many in Denerim while the other had been responsible for the deaths of nearly two dozen other Templars.

Was there a connection with the Dalish clan as well? He was sure the fugitive was at the least, some sort of unknown breed of elf and it was most likely that these other two were of a similar kind. Were they some sort of vigilantes or some deluded "avengers" like some of the more murderous Dalish brigands claimed to be?

Again, Darius was filled with so many questions about the nature of these three individuals. Looking towards Captain Raonull who had his arms crossed with a look of anger in his eyes, Darius understood the fire which burned within him. It was a rage, born from the suppressed grief at the loss of comrades in arms, a desire to avenge men one had shared many experiences of hardship with.

As the Captain of the Iron Keep took a deep breath, he then looked to Darius with a determined look in his eyes. 'Our Brothers and Sisters are almost ready' he said grimly 'we have over five dozen men and women, half of whom are or will be equipped with enchanted arms and armor, a dozen mages of the Loyalists and I have even received word of two mercenary companies who are interested in the bounty.'

'Two companies?' asked Darius with surprise for while large groups of sellswords were not uncommon in the Bannorn, the idea that two whole companies working on capturing an individual was just unheard of. He did hear that the bounty for the fugitive had more than doubled, quite the princely reward to whoever could claim it.

'Aye, the Red Storms and the Black Hounds' nodded Raonull with distaste towards the last.

'Maker's Breath! The Black Hounds!?' asked Darius with further surprise for he had heard a number of disturbing tales of this particular mercenary company.

'Indeed' confirmed Raonull who clearly was familiar as well. Although Darius had never met them, he had heard from other Templars as well as from various sources that the Black Hounds were a brutal band of mercenaries from the Free Marches. According to some stories, each member of the Black Hounds undergoes a brutal hazing ritual with each member also taking potent mixtures of narcotics.

While there were many conflicted stories about how the group is organized and their origins, what Darius did know for sure was chilling to say the least. One particular story was that during the rebellion against Orlais, the group had been hired by King Meghren to "escort" a noble lady whose husband was believed to be loyal to Maric's cause. Sufficed to say, by the time the noble lady made it Denerim, her entire household had been butchered with many maids and servants having supposedly been repeatedly raped before being hanged.

It was later found out that said lady's husband was actually loyal to the Orlesian occupation and that his association with Maric was supposedly just a rumor started by political rivals. The Orlesian King, Meghren supposedly just gave a none too honest word of apology and let the lady go afterwards. Of the lady herself though, it was said that she jumped off the top of Fort Drakon after a few days within Denerim. Many stories claimed that the lady could be heard screaming at night and had many nightmares which is what drove her to suicide.

There were also a number of grisly stories involving the collateral damage they would often cause during their wairs and the "tributes" they would collect from towns and villages they were supposed to be protecting. The idea that these murderers were out there was chilling to the Templar.

The other mercenary company, The Red Storms was at the least a more professional and disciplined force from the western Bannorns. Darius had heard of these men often taking jobs to fight Wilder raiders or fight in the many conflicts around the Bannorns. From what he knew of this mercenary group, The Red Storms are well trained in the use of both ranged and melee weapons and that they also have access to cavalry and siege weapon.

He himself had met more than a few of these mercenaries and had found them to be both professional and honorable. He had heard tales of their company's bravery and courage during the war against Orlesian occupation and how a number of battles were won by the Red Storms who fought for Maric. Of course, he would not be surprised if there were more than a few dark tales about these sellswords, but if there were he had not yet heard of them.

'There is something you all need to know' added Raonull 'I have received some rather worrying reports of something happening with the Chapters in western Ferelden.

'What sort of reports?' asked Darius in a wary tone.

'A number of our brothers have been found dead near the Imperial Highway leading towards Highever' said Raonull 'they apparently were on the hunt for an apostate and were killed by magic, apparently though, they were killed by magical means unknown to us.'

With an eyebrow raised in curiosity, Jacob asked 'What do you mean by an unknown magic?'

'I am not quite sure myself' shrugged Raonull 'According to the report, one man was found dead, his body was just cooked from the inside with small holes upon his armor while another looked as if his head had just… blown up from the inside.'

'Do you think it has something to do with the fugitives we are searching for?' asked Darius once more and clearly more than a bit disturbed at the strong possibility of there being more individuals like the fugitive he hunted.

'Its possible' answered Raonull with sigh 'but we can't be sure for now, I say we should focus on finding these individuals and the apostate mage.'

'Aye we should' agreed Darius 'you have the apostate's phylactery, yes?'

'That we do' replied Raonull 'be ready to ride soon for we will begin our hunt within the day…'

* * *

><p>Kneeling down upon the grassy earth, Luthias lightly dug his right hand into the grassy earth and he scooped up a handful of the soil. Placing the dirt near his nose and taking a few whiffs, he could smell that strange mix of herbs and spices as well as the foul odors of the city. Turning his hooded head towards his companions, the Ranger nodded to his companions to follow.<p>

Equipped with a set of enchanted leather armor and wielding a bow and dagger, Luthias Aller wore a green cloak which would help him blend in with the forest. His skin was of a dark brownish color with hair of sandy blonde which hung loose around his scalp.

For more than a week now, Luthias and his party had been on the trail of this murderer who had escaped from Denerim. They cared little for the gold of which would honestly be a nice bonus but was hardly the reason why they hunted this fugitive. The reason why they hunted was out of vengeance for a man they all greatly respected.

Many years prior, Luthias had been a simple woodsman who lived in a village near the Kocari Wilds. After a bloody raid from Wilders which left his village dead with Luthias as the only survivor, he sworn vengeance upon the barbarians who murdered his family. During that quest, he had met his current company, each an individual he would trust his life with, each a person he would gladly lay down his life for.

First there was Angus, a proud Ash Warrior with a big bushy red beard and with a clean-shaven head who was clad in plate armor and wielding a great sword. The man had also been on a quest for vengeance against the same Wilders who had killed his brother who was guard for a merchant caravan. At first, Luthias had thought the Ash Warrior to be some violent thug with a penchant for violence, how wrong he had been after getting to know the man who lay under the façade of boisterous swagger.

The second of their group was Marien, a lovely bard from Orlais with a ponytailed black hair who was equipped with enchanted studded leather armor and a pair of elf swords. Luthias had quite literally bumped into her during his quest for vengeance for Marien had traveled around at the time and earning coin with her song after a spot of trouble with the confusingly deadly political games of the Orlesian aristocracy. Their party had rescued her from a group of Wilder marauders and ever since then, she had been part of their group.

The third member of their group was a tattooed sorceress named Olava with long braided golden hair who wore a rather revealing set of Chasind made robes. A Wilder woman who had joined them during that quest, none of them, not even Olava herself knew of the power which lay within her in those days until much later in their quest for vengeance. She had always been a kind and gentle woman whose skill in healing magic seemed rather appropriate for her.

Their quest at the time would later be led by a knight named Ser Leonhard of whom was hunting for a Wilder-born mercenary who had murdered his sister during Maric's rebellion. A proud and noble warrior, Leonhard had led them to victory and under his guidance; their quest which originally started for revenge or gold had turned into one of justice. In the years after that quest, they had stuck together and had been on many adventures across Thedas.

About two years earlier, Leonhard had eventually settled down in Denerim with a lovely Rivaini woman named Selena of whom they had rescuing from a group of Antivan Crows during one of their many quests. The two of them had a really nice wedding and the party had all hoped for a long and happy marriage to their former leader. The party of adventurers had recently passed by Denerim and on the way to the south where supposedly King Caillan had rallied an army to the south against an army of Darkspawn.

To their collective horror though, Luthias and his friends had found out that some mad Chevalier in silverite armor had been running rampant in Denerim and had been responsible for many deaths within the city. Among them was Leonhard himself whose bifurcated corpse was found among several dead men who were attempting to rescue the Arl's son. They had done their best to console the grieving widow of their late former leader and they had sworn to avenge him.

The hunt for the fugitive had been a long and tiring one for the murderer seemed to be quite skilled in the way of the wilds. It was by luck really that they had bumped into a dwarf and his son who mentioned seeing in the distance, a strange fellow in silverite armor in the company of another. The dwarf mentioned seeing this stranger heading towards the Brecillian Forest and indeed, the party had found not one but three campsites.

The third campsite they found seemed to be much larger and by the guess of Luthias, perhaps this Chevalier had found shelter amongst one of the Dalish clans. Hopefully if that was the case, they could avoid some unnecessary conflicts for they had no quarrels with the wandering elves. In their previous adventures, they had undertaken quests to assist a few of their clans and had ended the slaving operations of a number of criminal groups.

Continuing to follow the trail, the adventurers were determined not only to avenge the death of their friend, but also the deaths of the many men and women who were murdered in the line of duty.

* * *

><p>Sitting down upon the back of one of the Dalish <em>Aravels<em> which had a canvas upon the top which formed a roof of sorts, Kallian watched as the forest passed them by as her legs gently dangled from the moving wagon. It had been three days since they had returned to Theron's clan, the Dalish had been quite surprised that High Elves were still with them. She had heard the warrior-mage, Yransair speaking to the elder named Marethari and telling her that they needed to go north, it just happened that Theron's kin were also going north as well, strange coincidence that.

Clad in her leather armor and keeping her crossbow upon her lap while her daggers were sheathed beside her, Kallian sure wasn't going to be taking any chances. Looking to the back of the _Aravel, _Kallian saw Khorieus sitting upon a bedding of leaves and furs while still wearing his armor. With his head bowed down and his axe resting upon his shoulder, Kallian was not quite sure if the warrior was sleeping.

Feeling rather bored for she had seen nothing but the passing of the forest, Kallian hopped off the back of the _Aravel_. As her feet gently landed upon the forest floor, she turned around and jogged ahead to the front of the _Aravel_. Seated upon the front of the wagon was Theron who held the reins of a pair of Halla which pulled the wagon.

The Dalish hunter quickly looked towards Kallian with a warm expression on his face; he then offered a hand to her to which she took. Climbing to the driver's seat of the _Aravel_, Kallian thanked Theron and asked 'So where are we heading?'

'North for sure' replied Theron as he looked ahead towards the rest of his clan. With Theron's _Aravel_ at the back of the convoy, Kallian saw the other _Aravels_ which were pulled by the Halla. Several of Theron's kin were either riding upon the vehicles or walking as well with hands near their bows; she noticed that Theron's own bow was actually lying beside him. Among them, she saw Illenya riding upon her horse and carefully keeping watch for any attacks.

'Do you think it's true?' asked Kallian a bit worriedly 'of a Blight gathering in the south?'

'I believe so, yes' nodded Theron with an uneasy sense of surety.

Before Kallian and her companions had rejoined Theron's clan, the Dalish of the Sabrae clan had encountered another clan of their kin who were going north-west. The news brought by this other clan was troubling for they spoke of a large army of Darkspawn burning and ravaging the Wilder tribes of the south. Kallian remembered the stories she had heard of the old Blights again, and immediately she became worried for her family in the Alienage of Denerim.

Having suddenly encountered so many Darkspawn in such a short period of time, Kallian was strongly convinced as much as she wanted not to, that indeed the Darkspawn were on the move. She hoped that the Grey Wardens would be able to resolve this for that is what the stories said; it was the duty of the Grey Wardens to save Thedas from the Darkspawn.

As the convoy of _Aravels_ pressed on further to the north, Kallian could not help but feel a sense foreboding.

* * *

><p>Clad in a set of red-painted splint mail armor with a bronze trim and a helmet of the same color, Morgan looked towards his battalion as he rode upon the back of a horse while the rest of them marched with perfect discipline upon horseback as well. Armed with an enchanted sword which was sheathed upon his back with his shield over it, the captain of Red Storms was confident that they were on the right trail.<p>

With over three dozen men at his command, the sergeant supposed that at the least, they were making good progress. While normally hunting down a single outlaw was not what they were used to, the bounty which had gone from two hundred to five hundred sovereigns was enough to catch the attention of his company.

Already, he had heard about this fugitive as of being some mad Orlesian Chevalier with an enchanted set of weapons and armor. Snorting with disdain at the idea of those fops, Morgan himself would have been glad to kill this Chevalier for less for the world would be better off without their kind.

In the early days of Maric's rebellion, Morgan's own mother and sister had been taken away as "guests" by an Orlesian lord who claimed that he was going to be celebrating a "soiree". Specifically, it was a kind of "soiree" that the Orlesian lord liked to celebrate more than once every few months.

Holding on to the reins of his horse a bit more tightly, he remembered the sorry sight of his mother and sister afterwards of whom were reduced to blank eyed wretches, he remembered the anger he had felt against the oppressors of Orlais. Although he had been too young to fight at the time, he had been so proud of his father who joined the rebellion and had later been part of the Battle of River Dane and the great victory which was won against the Orlesians. Left in the care of his father's cousin, Morgan was well cared for, even after his father's death during the final battle at Fort Drakon.

In the years since then, Morgan who had joined the Red Storms and they had undertaken a number of raiding missions and border skirmishes against the Orlesians. The very sword he now wielded had once belonged to an Orlesian Chevalier whose life was ended when Morgan had skewered the man and his horse upon a pike. He had heard that this rampant Chevalier was armed with a magic axe; he hoped that he could get the chance to keep it for himself as another trophy, another reminder that no matter how much the Orlesian may try; they would never crush the freedom of the Fereldans.

Shaking away these thoughts and focusing on the present, Morgan cantered ahead towards the front of the column of men and horses. At the head of the marching group, there was one who greatly stood out from the rest of them. Mounted upon a chestnut brown steed while clad in armor of verdium chainmail and wielding a bow of ironbark was an elf woman named Lirena who eyed the forest warily.

The elf had long hair grey hair with three braids around the sides. With skin which was of a healthy pink color and eyes which were a captivating blue, he found the woman as of being rather attractive. He didn't mind of course that the elf was probably a decade or so older than he was, of course at the moment, it would be far from professional to attempt any sort of intimate engagement.

The elf served as a guide for their unit as they entered the Brecillian Forest. Hailing from the Alienage at Amaranthine, Lirena was another mercenary who was considered to be an honorary member of the Red Storms according to their more senior members. Although he did not know much about the elf's personal history, he did know that she had worked with their company on a number of contracts in the Bannorn.

It was a coincidence really that they had bumped into the elf woman as they were heading east for they had met a man who claimed to have survived an attack in the Brecillian Forest by a fierce horse riding warrior in silverite armor. Morgan had noted that the woman seemed rather… driven in finding this individual.

For weeks now they had been traveling and now within the forest of the Brecillian itself, Morgan had to keep his men vigilant for there were many dangerous things which lay within the woods.

* * *

><p>Watching in amazement as the Keeper of the Dalish Clan wielded her own strange magic; Solona listened to the elder who now looked more refreshed than when she had first met the Keeper. Whispering words of a spell which was unknown to the mage, she felt the shift in the Fade while trees seemed to just "move" and make way for the Dalish. She had never known that it would be possible to manipulate plants and earth in the way the Keeper did.<p>

Seated upon the front of one of the elven land ships they called an _Aravel_ of which was being driven by one of the Dalish, a male named Fenarel of whom Solona had healed a week ago. Solona then looked back to see Yransair who quietly meditated with legs crossed and his great sword upon his lap. She heard him whisper a mantra in Eltharin. It was mantra which she often heard him speak in their quiet moments; it was a renewal of a vow made by a group of warrior-mystics called the Swordmasters of Hoeth.

Leaving the _Asur _to his meditation, Solona quietly looked ahead as the Keeper continued to wield her magic. The mage hoped that she could learn a bit more of this strange magic used by the Dalish. Looking around once more, she had to admit that aside from the Keeper's display of magic, things were already getting rather tedious. Solona honestly had no idea how long it would take for them to go north, and even then she knew not exactly where they would need to go.

The mage was also more than a bit worried for the Chantry still had her phylactery and there was no doubt that they would continue to hunt for her. There was also the disturbing news they had heard from the Dalish, news of a Darkspawn army gathering to the south. With her recent encounters with the creatures and the stories of her companions, it was troubling to think that another Blight was gathering.

Feeling a bit conflicted, Solona felt like she should do something to aid in the fight, anything to help protect Ferelden. She knew well enough though that with her status as an apostate, she should be more concerned with laying low and trying not to attract the attention of the Templars. With a sigh and an uneasy feeling, Solona reminded herself that for now, it would be best if she just stayed with her current company who were also not exactly on friendly terms with the militant arm of the Chantry.

Looking up to the sky and seeing that the light of the sun was already becoming red, Solona hoped that the rest of their journey would go on without incident, as unlikely as it would be though.

* * *

><p>Running under the canopies of the forest, Cormack tightly held the leashes of the two Mabari as they followed the scent of their prey. Clad in a suite of black dyed leather and chain armor while equipped with a pair of dwarf-forged axes around his waist, his hounds were painted with a Kaddis of dark red. For weeks now they had been after the bounty on this Chevalier in silverite, having been tipped off by a man who told them of a deadly warrior in silverite armor who had attacked a militia party from his town.<p>

Looking back to see if his men were keeping up, he grunted in satisfaction that indeed they were. Each man of the Black Hounds were equipped with either a two-handed weapon or were wielding two weapons while each wore a suite of leather and chain armor which proved to not only be light enough to move around in but also adequate enough to provide protection. Honestly though, Cormack would have preferred to be clad in his usual plate armor but for hunts like these, speed was a necessity.

Three days earlier, they had found a spot which had once been a campsite with a large standing stone. One of his men, Rutger who was the leader of their hunter cadre, ran with a grey furred wolf, he claimed that there must have been a group of Dalish elves around here. Cormack wondered if this Chevalier they hunted was seeking shelter among those elves, it was unlikely, but the scent which the Mabari followed had brought them to this place.

If their target was hiding among the Dalish then it would be their duty, as good and faithful men of the Chant of Light to help show the pagans the error of their ways. With a grin, Cormack remembered that one contract he and his boys had taken to get rid of some of those woodland wanderers who were loitering about near some noble's estate. Fun times he and the boys had with their women before selling them off to some Tevinter slavers they occasionally dealt with, nice bit of coin they made despite the survivors being counted as "damaged goods", he even kept a few for himself.

Sure that they would still have quite the distance to go, Cormack ordered his men to keep on moving for night would fall upon them soon.

* * *

><p>'You see it too <em>lethallin<em>? In your sleep?' asked Tamlen in a tired tone as the flesh around his eyes was dark from the lack of sleep. The two Dalish were sitting within the back of one of the _Aravels_.

'Yes, I saw it again' nodded Theron quietly for once more; he had the dream of the dragon and darkspawn.

It was night now, sometime after midnight by his guess. The Dalish of the Sabrae clan had set up a temporary camp and according to the Keeper; they would be out of the forest by the next day. Already, the _aravels_ were set up in a circular formation with the tired Halla resting in the center as Marren tended to the noble creatures.

While it was good that his friend had recovered thanks to the magic of the _Asur_, it was quite the surprise for Theron how his friend had become completely bald from the taint. He certainly was quite glad that his hair own had not fallen off.

'Do you think it will matter if we flee _lethallin_?' Tamlen then said nervously as he looked towards the other _aravels_.

'I think it would' Theron replied in a not entirely convinced tone 'for a time.'

'And what if the armies of Ferelden cannot turn back the Darkspawn tide?' added Tamlen uneasily 'what if the other nations of men cannot halt them?'

He remembered some of the stories of the old Blights and how it took the joint might of several nations to break it. He hoped that the human kingdoms would be able to take the brunt of the Blight long enough for the Grey Wardens to go do their job. And yet, if the Darkspawn could not be stopped then surely Theron's own people would become the next target for the monster.

Not quite sure on what he should do Theron felt that perhaps the clans should gather and join the fight against the monsters… or perhaps they could do so once the armies of Ferelden are all but spent? An interesting idea he thought, perhaps this war could become an opportunity for the clans. A chance for them to get some payback towards the _shemlen_ who had taken so much from his people, looking back now, he and Tamlen probably should have disposed of those three men they had encountered before finding the mirror for those men had rallied a militia party against his clan.

As intriguing as the idea was, he knew that of course, the other human realms would fight back and there were certainly a lot more of them than the rest of the clans combined. Dismissing the thought as an idle fancy, he knew that for know his focus should be on assisting the _Asur_ in going home for he owed them that much for saving the life of both he and Tamlen.

'I suppose we fight then' finally replied Theron 'we fight the way I think our Ancestors should have done, till the bitter end…'

* * *

><p>'How many did see?' whispered Angus as he warily eyed the glows of the campfires west of their position.<p>

'Four fires, more than two dozen men and half the number of Mabari' replied Luthias as he looked over his shoulder 'Black Hounds' he added with unease.

With a grunt of displeasure from Angus, Luthias agreed with the big man. A few years back in the Free Marches city of Starkhaven, they had ended a slaving operation of which a number of mercenaries from the Black Hounds were actually running and protecting. It had been a long and difficult campaign, but the Maker must have been on their side for they had been successful in not only shutting down the slaver cell but they had also succeeded in finding the location of other cells.

'I am sure they have not forgotten about Starkhaven' muttered Olava who tightened her grip upon her staff as magic light danced around the head-piece.

'We should avoid them!' interjected Marien with a highly accented common 'we cannot take them all at once.'

'Shame we won't be able to bloody the bastards' grunted Angus who as usual was just spoiling for a fight.

'Aye, Thedas would be better off without them' agreed Luthias 'but we have a task to complete first, remember?'

'Aye, I do' nodded Angus a bit sullenly for among their party, it was Ser Leonhard to whom he held the deepest respect towards. All of them did as well really for the noble knight's wise words and council had greatly helped all of them in becoming better people.

'We can always come back for them anyway' added Marien with a grin and Angus was quick to smile.

'Certainly no need for you lot to come back' suddenly then came a gravelly voice.

Quickly reaching for their weapons, they saw a fierce-looking man whose hands were placed upon the pommels of a pair of daggers emerge from the darkness. With long unkempt hair and a beard which reached up to his chest, the man was also tattooed with a dark red ink which gave him a fearsome appearance.

The man was not alone for he was accompanied by a grey furred wolf and several men in the dark armor of the Black Hounds, each man already had their weapons out and there were already archers armed with bows and crossbows pointing their weapons at them.

Cursing under his breath, Luthias couldn't believe how these mercenaries somehow were able to sneak up on them. Having been in a similar situation in the past, he looked to his companions and saw that they too were staying their hands.

'I heard what you all said and you are all welcome to try' said the man with a confident grin 'But you all aint why we're here so we will be letting it slide this time. I take it you lot are also looking for that Chevalier eh?' With a careful nod from Luthias and his companions, the man grinned and continued 'well you all can bugger off then because we got this bounty and that gold is as good as ours!'

'We are not interested in the gold, mercenary!' hissed Luthias, the man then gave a curious look to the range who continued 'we have our own reasons, but if you want to claim the bounty then go ahead! We just want to make that Chevalier pay for his crimes!'

'You all some kind of noble do-gooders then!?' guffawed the man with genuine amusement 'like some story book heroes eh?' the mercenaries around the man began laughing as well for a moment before the lead man then added in a serious tone with a clear edge of a threat in it 'I hate uptight, self-righteous do-gooders who think they can mess around in what ain't their business'

'So what then mercenary?' spoke Angus as his eyes were narrowed 'are we going to stand around and talk or are we going to kill each other'

The lead man then looked towards Angus with an amused expression. 'Try if you like' he said 'but if what I hear about this Chevalier is true, I think you lot will need to be at your full strength.'

As his companions looked towards one another unsure, each of them had also heard of the massacre which had happened in Denerim. For one man to be able to kill so many in such a short period of time was just unbelievable. What the mercenary said was true, if this Chevalier is as powerful as they say then they would all need to be at their full strength to bring the murderer down.

'I think that's decided then' said the man as he took their silence as an answer. 'Come with us then' the man said 'maybe we can all play nice and work together on this before we decide on whether to kill each other or not eh?'

* * *

><p>With great annoyance towards the men of the Red Storms, Lirena searched the perimeter around where they had stopped to camp. Restless and determined to the find this Chevalier, she knew that her chances of killing this murderer would be rather slim if she attempted to take him on by herself. There was also the fact that the Chevalier had an accomplice who had also taken part in the massacre, this accomplice could also be a skilled fighter for all she knew.<p>

With a frustrated sigh, she knew that she needed the strength and numbers of the men of the Red Storms as much as they needed her skill in tracking down prey. For weeks now, she had been hunting this Chevalier from Denerim itself. For a time, she had searched through the forest but the set of tracks she had found just did not seem right for two people, it took her a while to realized and accept that someone could actually move so stealthily, despite wearing all that armor.

From what she had put together, a wedding in the Alienage had taken place but was ruined by the Arl's son; she could hardly care for the noble lord's death though. What mattered to her afterwards was the massacre at the gatehouse. Although she had seen much blood and death in the past, Lirena could hardly believe that so many men were killed in such a short period of time.

She stopped for a moment as a surge of grief and sorrow had flushed through her, holding back the tears which she had suppressed, Lirena remembered finding the severed head of her son Daltyn whose body was found over the wall with his intestines pulled out. She should have been there for him, been there with her bow, she should have been there to put an arrow into the murderer's eye. Perhaps if she had been there, she could have made a difference.

Holding back her tears and instead replacing it with a deep rage, much like what had happened with her late husband. Once, when she was much younger, Lirena had been a wandering adventurer who had been in love with a human man of the Red Storms. Both of them had shared many adventures together and spent many passionate nights, she had hoped it would last forever but sadly it did not for her husband, Utrecht was killed during a battle in the Bannorns.

Her grief had turned to rage and hate towards the men they were hired to fight and she had avenged her husband. When she found out months later that she was pregnant with Utrecht's son, she had vowed to settle down and raise her son away from the pointless dangers of the mercenary life. And now her vow was broken, her last reminder of her husband and only child was now gone, his life brutally snuffed out.

Quietly circling around their camp and confident that the perimeter was clear for now, she turned around and made her way back to the rest of the Red Storms. She probably should take sentry duty for now because she had doubts over whether she would be able to find sleep or not tonight.

Knowing that they were on the right path in finding this Chevalier, her thoughts were filled with anger and vengeance. She would make this murderer pay, he and anyone in cahoots with him, this she had sworn even if it meant her own death.

* * *

><p>'Well what's this we got here lads? Some stray pups?' mocked Cormack as he looked to the four travelers Rutger and his huntsmen had brought him. The Mabaris around them growled towards the strangers and more than a few of his men were giving hungry looks to the two ladies in their company.<p>

'Some do-gooder heroes boss' Rutger replied with disdain. 'They are also looking for that Chevalier fellow, ain't interested in the money they say, probably on some "noble" quest' he said as he spat a gobbet of phlegm towards the nearest fire.

'I hate meddling hero-types as well' said Cormack with a grunt 'but killing you lot aint why we're here so you can all count yourselves lucky tonight.'

'Your man already said that we should work together… for now' said one of travelers, a large bald and tattooed man in plate armor who looked to be an Ash Warrior.

'Is that right?' asked Cormack as he looked towards Rutger who gave a silent nod. 'Then we welcome you all to join us here for tonight' Cormack said with an evil grin 'I am sure we can work something out, a lot of time to get acquainted…'

* * *

><p>Whispering a nightly prayer to the Maker with his hands clasped around the hilt of the blessed sword, Darius looked to his company as they finished their own prayers. It had been nearly a week since they had left the Iron Keep, the apostate's phylactery guided them northeast in the general direction of Amaranthine. Exactly why the apostate and her companion were heading there was unknown to them but regardless, it was their best lead on finding the fugitive from Denerim.<p>

Finishing his prayers, the Templar rose up and prepared to retire for the night. The men and women of his order had set up camp upon the hills of the eastern borders of the Bannorns. Sentries were posted around the camp, each one eyeing the darkness with wariness for they had recently passed by a ruined fort which had been situated along the Imperial Highway.

What they had found was just disturbing. The rotted bodies of men and women were scattered about in various states of mutilation as unnatural growths of fleshy pustules had begun to cover the fort. They had found the bodies of several creatures which took the Templars a while to realize and accept were Darkspawn.

An uneasy feeling began to fill Darius at the thought of one of the fortresses actually falling to the monsters. What was more troubling was the idea that such a thing would happen so far from the south where the king had taken the army. Could it be that the Blight had reached all the way north?

He remembered hearing how the Darkspawn had supposedly taken over most of the dwarven empire which at its height had spanned nearly across all of Thedas. The idea that the monsters could use the tunnels of the dwarves to easily move from one place to another was terrifying to him. For a moment, Darius questioned whether they should still be hunting this apostate and her companion for certainly a Blight was much bigger threat than a single rogue mage.

He then remembered the faces and names again of all the men and women who had been murdered by the fugitive. He owed it to them to bring these fugitives to justice and yet, once their mission was complete, they could focus their efforts upon the Darkspawn. And yet, still his mind was filled with more uneasy thoughts.

Who was this fugitive? What was his connection with this other one which accompanied the Apostate and the one spotted in the Brecillian? Could there be more like them? If so, how much more damage could they do?

These were thoughts which worried the Templar, he then remembered the mad words of the mage who been in his company before all this started. He remembered seeing a strange sign which were painful to look upon, a symbol of a wheel with eight arrows pointed outwards. Among them the insane ramblings was a place, a city, perhaps it was the Black City which was tainted by the Mages who became the first Darkspawn? Perhaps.

Shaking his head and walking towards his tent, the Templar knew that he would need his rest if they were to soon meet this apostate and her companion.

* * *

><p><em>Two more days later…<em>

Hopping off the back of the _Aravel_ again and landing upon the grassy plains, Kallian stretched her arms and yawned as the morning sun shined down upon the world from a clear blue sky. Inhaling the delectable scent of some fresh meat being roasted, she sure was getting used to travelling with Theron's clan. She was already quite interested with their offer of officially becoming a member of their clan and was even considering in going through with their tattooing ceremony.

Hearing the clash of steel from the opposite end of the circle of wagons, Kallian was curious to see what it was. Following the sound of the metallic sound, she quickly found a group of the Dalish crowding around something. Quickly she noted that a lot of them were the women of their clan and ahead of them she saw both Khorieus and Yransair sparring while wielding their respective two handed weapons.

Kallian saw that both of the _Asur_ wore only a pair of cloth trousers which had been provided for them by the clan, their toned upper bodies were laid bare to the elements. For the first time realize the city elf that she had never seen Khorieus without his armor or robes, she had guessed that he did so in his own privacy but now though, she could not help but stare at his well sculpted physique. Both of the High Elves had tied their hair with the metallic cords which glittered under the sunlight along with their own bodies.

Khorieus swept his axe to his right, aiming for Yransair's chest; the Loremaster swiftly raised his sword Tempestfang upwards to slap the flat of the axe in the same direction. With a quick twist of Khorieus wrists and a pull of his axe, he brought his weapon back towards him with Tempestfang getting caught underneath the beard of the axe and momentarily pulling Yransair off-balance.

The Loremaster swiftly adjusted his stance and regained his footing in time to duck underneath a counter-swing from the bottom of Khorieus axe. The sparring session of both of the High Elves seemed more like an intricate dance rather than a practice fight, each one seemed quite capable of perfectly predicting what the other would do and prepare accordingly to the situation. From the fight, Kallian noted that while Khorieus was larger and physically stronger, Yransair was faster and more nimble.

Seeing Yransair jump up in time to avoid a sweep of Khorieus axe which was aimed at the Loremaster's legs, he then thrust Tempestfang forwards while Khorieus moved his head aside in time to avoid it from skewering his face and causing a collective series of gasps from the crowd. Their sparring was more intense than any of the training sessions Khorieus had given her. On multiple occasions it looked like one was about to kill the other but with a last minute move, death was avoided each time.

The crowd watched with in awed silence at the skill of the two warriors, there were the occasional gasps of surprise and sighs of relief. As Kallian continued to gaze upon the two sparring _Asur_, it took her awhile to notice that Solona was also amongst the crowd and intently watching. The Dalish women observed their guests while giving appreciative looks with more than a few of the clan's male members giving jealous expressions as they mostly focused on their own tasks.

As the session carried on with the sweaty bodies of the two Asur continued to move and glisten under the sunlight, Kallian looked away as she had already been chewing her lower lip for a while. Getting a little bit too warm, she had a strong feeling that she would need to find someplace private soon.

* * *

><p>'Okay, easy, easy…' whispered Theron warily as he sat upon the back of a Halla which had a freshly made leather saddle upon its back. The Halla bleated loudly as he tried to do his best not to fall off of the white furred stag. For days now, he had been attempting to emulate Illenya's riding skill by training one of the younger bucks into being capable of carrying them.<p>

The high elf woman who was currently wearing her gold and silver armor was offering him instructions and words of encouragement on adjusting his seating position. The _Asur_ woman's ability to speak the common tongue had vastly improved thanks to the other two High Elves, looking towards her, Theron saw the lady give him a look of approval.

Although he (as well as Tamlen) had been quite surprised to hear that the lady high elf did not only have a husband of her own but even children and grandchildren, it did little to affect the feelings he had for her. Theron had asked the other high elves exactly how old they were and to his surprise, he had learned each of the three had been around in their world for more than half of a millennium. The warrior-mage, Yransair had in return asked how old Theron and he had seemed perplexed with the hunter's answer of being only in his early twenties.

From what he had been able to learn about them, it seemed that the High Elves could (at least according to them) live for very long periods of time and that being less than two hundred years of age was considered rather young for their kind. At first Theron seemed unsure whether he should believe it or not, but he remembered the old tales of his own people when they could live such long spans of time. He guessed that the elves of their world must have somehow retained their longevity.

As of now though, he was more concerned with making sure that he did not fall off and break his neck. He saw Illenya's steed moving in circles around him with its hooves cantering while neighing towards the Halla which bleated again. If he didn't know any better, it seemed as if the horse could actually communicate with the Halla, he sure that his mind was just playing tricks on him.

They had been at it for a an hour now and so far he had yet to fall off, a much better improvement compared to yesterday. Sometimes during these practices some of the others would join but due to the lack of young bucks to train, they had often kept it small though for most of their herd's young were being trained for pulling the _Aravels_.

'Do not force it _mornah_' said Illenya with a tone which reminded him of his clan's weapon instructors during his youth 'to truly ride, your steed must be willing to bear you.' Nodding towards her, Theron gently whispered to the Halla in what elven he knew as he gently rubbed the young beast's neck. The Halla seemed to react well to his words and soon, it began to canter about as well. 'Just like that' she then with a small measure of pride in her voice.

With a smile of his own, Theron drew satisfaction from her approval. His thoughts then turned to the idea of being able to ride across the forest and plains upon the back of the Halla with bow and sword in hand. If he could learn to ride like Illenya, perhaps he could pass the knowledge towards the other clans who could pass it on as well.

Moving the Halla around in a short circle, Theron was eager to see if he could make the beast gallop as well. Looking towards Illenya, he noticed she was looking over her shoulder; her eyes were narrowed as she intently observed something.

'What is-' asked Theron who was suddenly interrupted

'Get back to the camp child!' commanded Illenya who swiftly pulled out her bow which suddenly flared with blue fire. Although he had brought his bow and two _Dar'misu_ blades, he quickly obeyed, Theron saw the high elf raise her bow and pull the fiery string as an arrow of blue flame materialized around her hand. Turning the Halla around towards the camp of his clan, he realized that perhaps he had become a bit too eager in testing what he had learned.

* * *

><p>Tightly gripping a pair of <em>Dal'thanu<em> axes, Khorieus swung the two weapons wide in a cleaving arc, both weapons clashed against a twin pair of Dalish swords, the ones they called a _Dar'misaan_. The Dalish blades were wielded by Yransair who blocked the axes in a reversed grip before quickly ducking and slashing at the Chracian's legs with a scissoring cut.

Leaping back and barely avoiding the blades, Khorieus heard a gasp of surprise from the crowd of maidens. Glancing down he noted that the trousers he wore (which were actually comfortable) now had a tear over the midsection of his thighs and exposing only a small bit of flesh. Fortunately, no blood was drawn for in sparring sessions such as these, the one who drew first blood would be the victor.

'Shall we continue _Fersai-Hinaan_?' spoke Yransair in Eltharin with a grin 'or shall we continue to give our audience a show?'

'Perhaps you should get that armor of yours' replied Khorieus in a sarcastic yet playful tone 'perhaps a bit of magic would help you catch up?'

'And deny our audience a reason to watch? Perish the thought!' Yransair then said with amusement.

It was good to have the blood and adrenaline pumping again after more than a week without any battles. The Chracian was growing a bit restless at the monotony of riding within the aravels as they headed north. Oh what he would give to find a nice big ogre to decapitate or band of Norscans to hack into, not that he would wish for any to be ravaging this world, but still it would be nice to have something familiar to spill the blood of.

Moving into a defensive stance and preparing for his next move, Khorieus heard the distant and yet faint sound of hooves galloping. Looking towards the source of the sound with Yransair also following his gaze, Khorieus saw Theron riding upon the back of a Halla. The hunter was shouting words of alarm towards his kin and in brief moment, the Chracian saw flashes of something in the sky.

Looking up, he quickly realized that it was a pair of arrows which were falling towards him. Raising his axes up in an attempt to parry it, he was too late and the projectiles sank into the meat of his right shoulder and the center of his chest. Grunting in pain and staggering as hot flashes of searing agony coursed through him, Khorieus heard the Dalish elves quickly mobilized with weapons at the ready.

Seeing Yransair move out as well, Khorieus dropped the axe he held in his left. Bracing himself, he pulled out the arrow from his chest with a hiss and he held up the bloodied projectile. Despite the coppery smell of his own blood, Khorieus realized there was another… fouler smell. Poison he realized as the burning pain he felt had suddenly intensified.

Fire, it felt like his veins were on fire! Collapsing to the ground, he gritted his teeth as the searing agony grew stronger, Khorieus heard in the distance amidst the shouting of orders, the sound of a horn blowing and the thunder of hooves which were coming towards them.


	11. Edra

Looking warily to the band of mercenaries which surrounded them, Luthias was keen on keeping one hand near his dagger while the rest of his companions did the same with their own weapons. For two days now come the dawn, his party had been in the company of the Black Hounds who at the least didn't seem to be aware of what the adventurers had done to the mercenaries and their compatriots in the Free Marches. It was either that or perhaps they were trying to lull them into a false sense of security thought the ranger with a bit of paranoia.

Around the camp where both the adventurers and the mercenaries had laid down bed rolls, men were now busily preparing for departure. The sky was still mostly dark but already it was lighting up as dawn came. The tracks which they followed were fresher now and with and experienced guess, their target was likely less than a day away.

His own party had spent the cold, sleepless night around a fire, waiting to see if one of the mercenaries would attempt to slip knives into their backs. It also certainly didn't help with the way the mercenaries were looking at Marien and Olava, the Mabari which accompanied the Black Hounds never stopped growling or giving threatening looks to the adventurers. If the mercenaries decided to murder them, they would have a very difficult fight on their hands.

What also worried him though was how they could deal with this Chevalier without any collateral if he truly was traveling with the Dalish, the fact that they were with a bunch of brutal mercenaries who did not even know the meaning of it just made him eve tenser. The adventurers would not allow these bastards to go about raping and pillaging if they could not help it and yet at the same time, they may truly need the aid of the Black Hounds if the Chevalier was as dangerous as the stories went in Denerim.

It was a difficult dilemma to be sure he thought with unease. In their past adventures, they had been faced with difficult decisions such as these and often, it was Leonhard who was able to make those difficult choices. A number of those decisions Luthias thought may have given their late leader more reason to retire from the adventuring life.

Interestingly, they had also found a fresh set of tracks which were left by several horse-riders who were moving in the same direction as the Dalish. It seemed that whoever these mounted fellow were, they would be ahead of the adventurers and the Black Hounds.

'Do you think we will find the Chevalier today?' quietly whispered Marien as she quickly glanced over her shoulder.

'I hope so' muttered Angus as he scraped a whet stone over the sides of his great sword and causing sparks to erupt from the rock.

'I am sure that if we continue with our current pace, we will catch up to him within the day or the next' replied Luthias with confidence.

'Then we avenge Leonhard' added Olava as she looked into the fires with a grim look upon her face.

'Aye' nodded Luthias quietly. 'We owe it to Leonhard for that much' he said as he began to remember the many times the knight had saved his life. They all owed it to Leonhard to bring his killer to justice, they all owed him more than that really and yet it was one of the only ways they could repay him now.

They all owed it, to the man who had guided them to a better life, to the man who had shown them that was more to life than a petty quest for profit or vengeance. They all owed it to the man who in many ways helped them deal with the personal problems which they themselves could not overcome on their own.

* * *

><p>'How are the men doing?' asked Morgan towards his second in command.<p>

'A bit restless sir but they are battle ready don't you worry' replied Sergeant Degnan who was already clad in full splint armor and wearing his helmet. Looking to his men, Morgan noted with satisfaction that indeed they looked just about ready to make a cavalry charge, a shame that they had nothing to fight against at the moment.

'Good to know then' nodded the mercenary captain and the sergeant gave him a sharp salute. As much as he enjoyed the mercenary life, Morgan at the moment felt rather bored from the tediousness of riding and marching from one place to another. For days now as they searched for this Chevalier, they had done nothing but ride and occasionally stop to rest, he kind of wished that at the least some bandit gang tried rob them.

With a weary sigh, he mused that his sword arm must be getting flabby now. One of the newer men in his unit, a young man named Rodrick who was a bit knowledgeable in tracking and wilderness survival was currently leading them. The elf woman, Lirena had earlier announced that she would scout ahead and leave a trail for them to follow.

It was not like the captain had any real authority over the woman so there was really nothing he could do to stop her. He had given the woman a simple offer of a farewell and he watched her leave as quietly as a shadow passing in the night. Maker's breath what a woman he thought a bit wistfully, he hoped that perhaps after this job he could perhaps attempt to start something with the woman.

Shaking his head, he realized that perhaps one day when he has made quite a bit of gold, he should settle down, find a nice girl and start a family somewhere. There was a nice town he had passed by once called Lothering, there was one lovely girl with long black hair who caught his eye, a shame really that he did not have time to even say hello. Aye, perhaps when this job was over, he should start considering the idea of settling down.

'Hey sir, what's that over there?' suddenly came the voice of one of the men, a private named Corbin who pointed towards something in the distance east of them.

Shaking away the pleasant daydream of having a wife and kids, the captain looked towards where Corbin's finger was pointing and he saw something which seemed… off. There was a blur of motion across the horizon, he was not sure what it was, for a moment he caught sight of something white before it became all hazy again.

'Let's investigate men, remember, ask questions first and start stabbing later' ordered the captain a bit apprehensively and his men sharply obeyed. The mercenaries began riding towards the strange blur in the distance and their formation began to spread out. Hopefully it was nothing dangerous but just in case, they would attempt to surround whatever it was and if it was hostile, at the least it would not have any way to escape.

As they drew closer, Morgan saw that indeed there was a white creature with the shape of a stag, a Halla he believed it was called. More interestingly though, he saw that there was someone on the creature's back, he could not get a good look at the rider from the current distance but he saw that the rider and its mount went away while the hazy blur remained. As they drew closer, Morgan began to hear a voice calling out to them.

He couldn't quite make out what the voice said from the distance but already he began to become wary of what this blurry figure was. In the past, he had seen magic in use and for all he knew, they could have run into a mage. Just to be sure, he grabbed his sword which was sheathed upon his back and he ordered his men to be ready in case of a fight.

Amidst the thunder of hooves, he heard the gentle scraping as swords left their sheaths while other weapons were pulled out. Each man carried a single one handed weapon and a shield which they were well trained in the use of for both on foot and on horseback. Many of them also carried light crossbows which could be properly fired and reloaded while mounted, thus making the men quite versatile in a fight.

Already, he could clearly hear the voice; it was that of a woman's who spoke in a rather accented common. 'Halt where you are!' shouted the woman's voice in a highly commanding tone over the thunder of hooves.

For a brief moment he saw the blurry image clear up and to his surprise he saw that it was a silvery and golden armored warrior of a strange design riding upon a magnificent white steed which was clad in armor of a similar hue. The woman in silver and golden armor was holding and pointing at him, what looked to be a bow which blazed with blue fire.

It was the rider who attacked that militia party in the forest! He realized with surprise for she perfectly matched the description the man on the road had given them. Shouting for his men to halt, he heard them mirroring his order and soon the mercenaries slowed down until they were only less than twenty feet away from the woman.

Looking to his men who greatly outnumbered this lone rider in silverite armor, he knew that this person could not possibly be the one who was responsible for killing the son of Denerim's Arl, yet he was sure that there must be some sort of connection. At a closer look at the rider, Morgan was surprised for the woman was rather beautiful, with angular elven features pale skin which had a grim expression; her eyes which were narrowed were a striking color blue. He also saw golden hair which flowed underneath her helmet which was exquisitely decorated with some sort of winged horse.

'Move not one more step, or I shall put an arrow into one of you!' came the voice of the woman who shouted to all of them and yet it was as if she was directly speaking to him.

'Whoah now there stranger!' replied the voice of Morgan who wished to avoid an unnecessary fight if he could. 'There is little need for that' he then said as he tried to calm things down 'we are just looking for someone and perhaps you can help us.' The woman's face maintained her grim expression and he knew instinctively knew that if a fight were to break out, the woman could put a fiery arrow into him before his men would cut her down.

'Who do you seek, human?' asked the woman in a steely voice and the captain felt her intense stare as if she were peering into his very soul.

'We are looking for someone, a fugitive and a murderer who wears silverite armor like yours!' answered Morgan. 'As far as we know, he is travelling on foot, is with a single accomplice and he carries a big axe which blazes with magic fire' continued the captain.

A tense moment of silence passed and Morgan began to nervously sweat as his heart pounded like a drum. The woman's expression remained unchanged and he could not tell if indeed she knew what he was talking about or if she did not.

'You will not have him!' she then said coldly and continued in a tone which was even more commanding 'turn back now and give up your search for we have no quarrel with you!' It was all he needed to hear, this woman knew where the fugitive was!

'This man is a wanted criminal of the highest degree! shouted Morgan 'surrender him to us and there will be no need for bloodshed here!'

'Never!' Replied the woman defiantly 'Turn back now or I shall send your souls to your gods!'

'Don't make us have to kill you, woman!' roared the captain who began to lose his patience.

'Turn back, now!' the woman then said with finality. Looking to his right where Degnan was seated upon his horse, he nodded to the man and gave him two blinks, a signal they thought up of years ago.

'FIRE!' roared the sergeant and the mercenaries who had brought out crossbows opened fired. The air was filled with the clacks of several crossbows which unleashed their deadly projectiles. The woman though was quick to move with her white steed strafing to the side and the very air around the woman began to shimmer like hot air over a fire.

The crossbow bolts struck nothing but air as the woman moved and in response she fired a flaming arrow which he soon realized had no physical projectile but was made of pure fire. The fiery bolt struck Degnan in the visor of his helmet and directly into his right eye. His steed bucked and the sergeant fell off of his horse.

Quickly sheathing his sword and reaching for his own crossbow, he pulled out the already loaded weapon and tried to get a bead on the woman. He could not, for the woman was just moving too fast in a zigzag pattern, the very image of the woman was covered in a blur. The men around him tried get a bead on her as well but none were successful as their next volley struck only the air.

Another bolt of blue fire flew out and it struck Rodrick who was right next to the captain's left. The man screamed in agony as the fiery bolt stuck to his chest like a normal arrow would, Morgan could not tell if it had pierced the armor, but he could smell the burning stench of roasting pork.

'Healer!' shouted Morgan as he called to one of the other members, a man named Yoren who was skilled with bandages and herbs. The healer of whom was also garbed in the same splint armor and helmet as the rest of the men shouted his acknowledgement and he quickly went towards Rodrick.

Seeing the moving blur of the woman run off in the distance, Morgan quickly ordered his men to pursue her. Although this strange woman may have taken down two of his men, there were still more than two dozen of the Red Storms who were now ready to avenge their dead.

* * *

><p>Following the tracks which were left by the wheels of the Dalish land ships, Lirena who was still riding on the back of a horse had found it rather easy to follow them. She was puzzled on why the Chevalier would seek shelter amongst the wild elves, was this man one of the elf-blooded? If so then perhaps he identified with her people who lived within the Alienage, such a thing would not be unheard of for she knew a human man in Denerim who embraced his elven heritage over.<p>

It would perhaps also explain why this Chevalier attacked and murdered the Arl's son, of whom had abducted several girls from the Alienage during the wedding. While it certainly would not justify the massacre at the gatehouse, nor would it assuage her grief and anger at the death of her son, it was something which she perhaps may have quietly applauded the Chevalier for. It mattered not now for she had sworn to slay the murderous bastard.

In time, she would find small pillars of smoke rising in the distance and her body tensed in anticipation. It may be the Dalish she was searching for she thought and with grim determination, she pressed on to investigate. Eventually, she would dismount from her horse to make her less visible and she proceeded to travel ahead on foot.

With swift and silent steps as she crouched down and allowed the tall grass to cover her, Lirena soon found out that indeed there was a Dalish camp. From what she could see, their land ships were parked in a circle around several of those white stags which they used to pull the vehicles. She had no quarrel with the wild folk for in the past she had met and even befriended one of their clans, one which her own father once belonged to.

She saw several of the Dalish men busily cooking meats, tending to their weapons and arrows or were transferring objects from one land ship to another. She saw that there were guards standing sentry here and there and she did her best to avoid their gaze by keeping low and hiding in the tall grass. Eventually, she heard the ringing of steel and she wondered if some of them were having a sparring session.

Circling around the camp, she saw several of the Dalish clan's women standing in a circle where two rather large figures were performing some deadly dance. From what she could see, they were tall pale skinned creatures with long white hair which were tied into top-knots and clad in cloth trousers. Both moved with a fluid grace which was dazzling to the elf woman and she saw that both were wielding heavy weapons.

One of them, a more slender male wielded a great sword with skill, precision and surprisingly, elegance. The swordsman's ability to wield his weapon was nothing like she had ever seen; the second figure though sent her heart racing. The second pale skinned warrior who was both taller and broader was wielding a large battle axe, both the two-handed axe and the sword shone with a brilliant light.

For a moment, Lirena was puzzled by what these creatures were, axe wielder must certainly be the one she was looking for, yet she was sure that he was not even human. She could not get closer without further risking detection from the sentries, should she perhaps head back to the mercenaries and round them up? It seemed like quite a good idea and yet, she saw that the two tall warriors were quite vulnerable, all she would need was to hit the axe wielder with a poisoned arrow and then there would be no need for anyone else to die.

Quietly watching them as she weighed her options, she saw that they eventually set their great weapons aside and were handed with twin weapons from the Dalish. The swordsman looked to now be wielding two Dalish swords while the axe-wielder was now equipped with two axes which were also made by the wild folk. The two of them spent a moment to test their weapons with practice swings before going at each other again.

For a moment, Lirena was dazzled by their intricate and deadly dance. They were certainly both fast and skilled the elf could hardly keep up with their movements. As she watched them and compared their skill to that of the run of the mill city watchmen, she began to think that clearly it was no exaggeration that one warrior was able to kill so many.

While she watched, she heard the sound of hooves as something ran across the plain not far from her. Looking to where the sound was coming from, she saw one of the white stags running towards the camp with one of the Dalish riding upon it. The rider began shouting something and her heart sank, it must be the Red Storms!

She could not allow those men to get slaughtered by these mighty warriors who would likely be aided by the Dalish should it come to a fight, she considered this judging by how at ease they seemed to be around the two. She also would not wish for any of the wandering folk to be harmed as well. With grim resolve she quickly decided on what must be done.

Reaching for a quiver on the side of her left waist, the container was filled with thirteen arrows which were coated with a special poison. Brewed by an Antivan mage who had quite some connection with the crows, Lirena had acquired these arrows during her adventuring days; specifically she had gotten them from one of the assassins who owed her one after an assassination attempt on a Bann which would have been botched had the elf woman not accidentally killed the body guard of said Bann.

She had been assured that the poison would maintain its potency for decades to come and it seemed that now was the chance to test it. Raising her bow up to the sky and placing an arrow on the string, Lirena took a deep breath, she swiftly calculated for the wind, the distance and the chance of one of them moving. With an exhale of breath, she released the arrow which flew into the sky and she quickly grabbed another which fired at the same direction.

Seeing the arrows fly up into the sky in an arc, Lirena saw the projectiles eventually fall to the earth. For a brief moment she thought she would miss, she saw that the axe wielder looked up and for a moment she thought that he would move. With relief and triumph, she saw the two poisoned arrows plunge into the axe wielder.

'Now you are avenged' Lirena said with a somber whisper to her deceased son. The poison would surely doom the axe wielder to a slow and painful death, it would be too good for the murderer, but it would be the best she could do. Turning around and preparing to leave, she heard the sudden clack of a crossbow and soon pain exploded upon the back her right shoulder and she was knocked to the ground.

* * *

><p>Within the <em>Aravel<em> of Theron who had gone out earlier with Illenya, Kallian was feeling more than a bit "satisfied" after her private moment. Putting her leather trousers back on and tightening the magic belt around her waist, she glad to have asked Solona on what magic it had. According to the mage, it supposedly was enchanted to help protect against spells, perhaps it was because of the belt itself that Kallian did not freeze to death during that encounter with that mage girl?

She had also inquired about what magic was within her other pieces of equipment. The set of armor had enchantments which would supposedly give her greater vitality while the rings and necklaces had a number of minor enchantments which would make her more dexterous. She wasn't quite sure if this was true for she didn't notice if she was any faster or more coordinated, with a shrug, she thought that she should probably test it though.

Her weapons on the other hand were quite interesting as well. The daggers were imbued to help tear through physical armor, quite useful if she had to fight someone wearing plate armor, it certainly explained how she was able to cut through the mail armor of those guards at the gatehouse. The crossbow on the other hand was also imbued with some sort of armor piercing capability but according to Solona who noted a bit warily, it was well suited for the magical defenses of a mage.

It was reassuring for Kallian to know that if another mage tried to kill her or wanted to turn her into a frog, at least she had some good protection against one. Reaching for a leather skin which was filled with water, Kallian poured a bit of water on her hands and she cleaned them of any remaining humors. As she washed, she noticed something moving amongst the grass, her palms began to itch and a feeling that something bad was about to happen just came over her.

Quickly moving to the front of the Aravel, Kallian nimbly climbed up the driver seat and she stood upon it. From her vantage point, she saw a person moving underneath the grass, who was this person? She thought with alarm, a bandit perhaps?

As she was about to call out to the rest of the clan, she heard the voice of Theron shouting. Surprised at this, she saw the Dalish hunter was riding upon the back of one of Halla, and he began calling to his clan to ready their weapons. Maker's Breath! She thought another attack? Ever since she bumped into Khorieus that one night, it seemed that fights kept on coming her way.

Looking back towards the creeping bandit, her eyes widened as she saw, what was clearly an older elven woman firing an arrow into the air. Quickly looking up to the sky, she saw that another arrow was already in flight and flying towards where the Dalish women had gathered around Khorieus and Yransair. As she was about to call for them to watch out, she saw to her horror as two arrows sank into the bare flesh of Khorieus.

Quickly grabbing her crossbow and loading a bolt into it, Kallian looked to Khorieus to see if he was okay and to her relief, he pulled one of the arrows out from his chest. As painful as it looked, she was amazed that he still seemed to be standing, filled with relief she then turned her eyes back to the bandit and she saw the woman turn around.

'Oh no you don't, bitch!' hissed Kallian with anger as she took aim. For the last few days, Theron had been giving her some marksmanship lessons and in exchange she had been teaching him a bit with blade fighting. Squeezing the trigger of her crossbow, she unleashed a bolt which flew straight and true towards the bandit and it struck the woman in the back of her right shoulder.

Seeing the woman fall down to the ground, Kallian felt satisfied for it was a good shot. Her sense of satisfaction though was quickly replaced by horror when she looked back to Khorieus and she saw him writing in pain. Terror filled her heart at the sight of it and through instinct she leapt off the front of the _aravel_ and landed upon the grassy ground again, all thoughts on the bandit was now forgotten.

Quickly sprinting towards the fallen warrior and passing by the circle of Halla, she saw several of the Dalish were taking position within the circle of wagons. When she arrived at the spot where Khorieus fell, she saw Solona kneeling over him; her hands glowed with magic light as she whispered a spell. Kallian saw that Khorieus himself had closed his eyes and gritted his teeth; his muscles were tightened as he growled and held back a cry of pain.

Desperately looking to Solona and not wishing to disrupt the mage's concentration, she saw that the healing amulet around Khorieus neck was giving off such a bright glow which Kallian herself could even feel. Near Khorieus, she saw the arrow which had been pulled out from his body, she saw that despite the blood there was strange greenish color around it, poison she realized! For Kallian herself had some knowledge with poison making.

The sight of Khorieus in pain and the knowledge that he was poisoned caused tears of to well up in her eyes and she loudly began to beg for him not to die.

* * *

><p>Glancing back and shocked to see Khorieus take an arrow in the chest and shoulder, Yransair saw the Chracian pull out the arrow with enough stubbornness and stoicism to match a dwarf. Noting that Solona was nearby as well, he was confident that the girl's magic would heal the Chracian. Having handed the twin swords to one of the Dalish women who went towards the ring of wagons, the Loremaster quickly reached for Tempestfang which lay beside the axe of Khorieus.<p>

As his right hand grasped the handle of the great sword, Tempestfang sensed the Sapherian's mood and electricity began to dance around the blade. Looking to the distance where Theron had come, he saw and heard Illenya whose armor wreathed both her and Asfalrhan with the Wind of Shadows, behind them, he saw several red armored men riding upon the back of horses in the distance. His keen eyes picked up the gleaming forms of swords unsheathed.

Looking back to Khorieus again and seeing if he was all right, he saw Solona and Kallian were by him but Yransair's eyes widened as he saw that the Chracian was on the ground with his back arched and an expression of intense pain was etched upon his face. Isha's tears! He thought and he quickly went towards his old comrade.

Sprinting towards his fallen friend, Yransair could feel the invigorating warmth from the Amulet of Isha which lay around the Chracian's neck. Poison he realized for in the past, the Loremaster had treated numerous unfortunate souls who had been the victim of poisoned weapons. Kallian looked to Yransair with a pleading looked, the Loremaster cursed for not having his armor equipped nor the time to put it on.

'Get my other sword Kallian!' commanded the Loremaster, the child looked to him for a moment and obeyed. He could still draw upon the Lumen Stones embedded into the blade and with it, he could cast a spell of healing. Leaving Solona to tend to Khorieus, the Sapherian turned back to the mounted horsemen who were drawing closer.

Wishing that he had a long spear or a Cathayan Zhanmadao to deal with the horse riders, he instead opted to use magic. Concentrating his will upon the True Sapphires embedded upon Tempestfang, Yransair swiftly began shouting in _Anoqeyan_. The lightning around the blade of Tempestfang transferred to the Loremaster whose left hand began to crackle with power. Thrusting his left hand forward, Yransair unleashed a bolt of chain-lightning which struck one horseman in the chest and it leapt towards three other men.

The horses of those men he struck bucked and reared and the bodies which convulsed with spasms dropped to the ground as smoke emerged from them. He heard shouts of surprise from the other men and he heard one of them give orders to "shoot the mage". Three men raised crossbows towards the Loremaster and they unleashed a volley of bolts.

Swiftly shifting his grip to hold Tempestfang in both hands, Yransair brought up the great sword with the flat facing the riders. With swift flicks of his grip, he deflected the bolts as skillfully as any competent Swordmaster. Already, more riders were bearing down on him with swords, axes and maces raised to strike him while the men upon the steeds leaned to the sides.

'Fire!' roared the voice of one of the Dalish elves and a volley of arrows flew from the wagons while the Keeper of their clan casted a ball of fire. Men and horses screamed as they were skewered by arrows with four not having the time to do so as they were caught in the fiery blast of the Keeper. The remaining riders quickly broke off and they began to circle about the camp while unleashing volleys of bolts.

To the satisfaction of the Loremaster, the Dalish reacted to this by keeping to the cover provided by the wagons as they fired more arrows. At the least, they were competent fighters like the _Asrai_ Glade Guard of Athel Loren. One of the riders who carried a long sword managed to escape the volley unharmed and was still charging towards Yransair.

Readying himself in a defensive stance, Yransair whispered a calming mantra for what he was about to do. Side stepping to his left and in the path of the rider's horse, the Loremaster swung Tempestfang upwards, the greatsword sliced off the human's right hand which still held on to its blade and with a sudden thrust he impaled the man on the side while the rider's momentum caused the blade to slice out of the back of the man in a shower of steaming blood.

A clarion was sounded amongst the riders and the red armored men began to flee from the ring of wagons while the elves fired more arrows at them just to be sure. As the men fled, Yransair quickly surveyed the area before turning his attention back to Khorieus. He saw that the Chracian was still in agony while Solona already looked exhausted from her healing attempts; Kallian was already by the mage while holding the sheathed sword, Nadja and the case of healing elixirs which Khorieus carried.

'Can you not heal him child?' asked Yransair with concern towards the mage.

Solona then stopped chanting her spell, a weary look was upon her face as dark rings began to form under her eyes. 'The poison refuses to dissipate' she then said with exhaustion.

'Hand me my sword Kallian' Yransair commanded as the girl slid the weapon out of its sheath.

Stabbing Tempestfang into the earth, Yransair grabbed the hilt of Nadja and he began to cast a spell of healing. The Lumen stones embedded upon the sword began to glow as the Loremaster drew upon the Wind of _Hysh_. Finishing the spell, he infused Khorieus with healing light, much to the Sapherian's dismay, it proved unsuccessful.

It must be a poison which resists magical healing thought the Loremaster with dread for he had seen things like this before. With a curse, he wished he had a Goldstone so he could draw upon the Wind of _Chamon_ so he could at least attempt to analyze the venom within the Chracian. They would have to try the elixirs then he thought, but already he was uncomfortably confident that it would not help.

* * *

><p>'Is everyone all right!?' shouted Theron Mahariel towards his kin as he cautiously left the safety of one of one of the wagons. During the battle Theron had dismounted and taken position with one of the aravels which provided excellent protection from the arrows and bolts of their attackers. Theron himself managed to shoot down three of the <em>shemlen<em> riders with well placed arrows and injure a few others.

'A few injuries I think _lethallin_' noted Tamlen who was behind Theron as he looked about to see the others who were exiting the wagons with caution.

'Master Ilen took a bolt below the shoulder while Fenarel was grazed on the side of his head' whispered Merril who nervously glanced about 'thankfully; Keeper Marethari was able to heal both of them'

With a relieved sigh, Theron was glad that again, none of his kin were killed in the fight. By the Creators he thought as he shook his head, another attack? It was as if trouble was just looking for them ever since he and Tamlen had found that mirror. Hearing the sound of a single set of hooves, he saw Illenya riding upon the back of her steed, the magic bow which the _Asur_ woman held still glowed with magic fire.

'Are you unharmed child?' asked the High Elf with concern as she looked down to Theron and yet, he could tell that she was agitated as well.

'Don't worry about me I am all right, some of the others were wounded but the Keeper is tending to them' replied Theron.

'When the Keeper is finished we have need of her aid' said Illenya 'Khorieus has been poisoned'

With eyes widening with surprise he quickly heard the voice of Merril reply 'I will inform the Keeper at once'

'You have my thanks child' nodded Illenya with genuine gratefulness before riding away.

'What should we do now?' asked Tamlen with a concerned look on his face.

'Look for any survivors among the _shemlen_' Theron replied coldly as he looked to his friend 'if we find any, question them as of why they attacked us and make sure that they don't try again.'

* * *

><p>Looking upon Khorieus who now laid upon his back within the <em>aravel <em>of the Keeper, Illenya was deeply concerned for the Chracian. Yransair had already put on his armor and he had attempted more spells of healing upon Khorieus. All had proven unsuccessful and the best he could do at the moment was to draw power from a series of Endstones to deaden the nerves of the Chracian.

Glancing towards Kallian whose expression mirrored that of the Ellyrian, the child did her best to keep a brave face on. She had seen what happened to Khorieus and she had already handed the two poisoned arrows to the Keeper and her apprentice. According to the Keeper, the arrows were coated with several unnatural ingredients of a deadly toxicity, there was also something mixed with the poison called Lyrium which seemed to give it some arcane properties.

'Kallian' the Ellyrian then said as the child looked up to her 'I need to speak with you in private.' With a nod from the child, the two of them walked away from the _aravel_ but not before both of them gave a last look to the Chracian.

'I saw what happened' Kallian said with a mix of anger and guilt as she looked to the ground 'I saw the archer who shot Khorieus, Maker's Breath if only I had acted sooner.'

'We were all taken by surprise child' Illenya replied in an attempt to reassure the child who then looked up to the Ellyrian with a pained expression. 'Worry not child' Illenya continued 'for Yransair is a skilled healer, with the assistance of the three other mages I am sure that they will find some way to cure Khorieus.'

Kallian looked unsure and the Harbinger could not blame her for in the many wars she had fought on her own world, she had seen the many venomous concoctions used by the many enemies of the Asur. There were more than a few poisons out there which were made to be resilient to magical healing or it would have a much harsher effect if a magical healing was attempted.

One particularly horrifying poison she encountered during one of the many campaigns against the _Druchii _had been mixed with warpstone, the solidified essence of Chaos. The warpstone would react violently at the merest touch of the Winds and it would cause the poisoned host's blood to boil before violently exploding the moment a healer attempted to use magic on the afflicted.

She had first seen it used upon human slaves left behind after the _Druchii _were finally defeated during that campaign. The High Elves had thought the slaves to simply be lucky souls who managed to escape; one of them was a sickly girl-child of no less than perhaps ten years of age. Illenya herself had taken pity on the child and brought the human their army's healers.

Sufficed to say, when one of the healers attempted to cure the afflicted child, the human girl screamed in agony before exploding in a shower of blood, flesh and bits of bone which gravely wounded the healer and several nearby Asur. Illenya herself had been injured as well when pieces of the child's bone were deeply lodged into the Harbinger. It took many months of arcane healing, surgical procedures and alchemical elixirs to completely heal the wound and remove the physical scars yet the same could not be said for the other scars it left.

Most of the slaves the Druchii had left behind were merely children by the standards which Men counted time. All of whom were afflicted, suffering and worst of all, ignorant from this volatile poison and all had to be put out of their misery, a last act of cruelty and spite from the hated Druchii. Remembering the mercy killings which followed afterwards, Illenya had done her best to blot out the screaming.

Dismissing the memory which was simply one amongst countless horrors she had seen, the Ellyrian refocused on the task at hand.

'Show me where this archer had fallen, Kallian' Illenya then said calmly 'perhaps through this assailant, we can learn the nature of this poison and how to cure it.'

* * *

><p>Hissing in pain as she walked away from the camp, Lirena cursed herself for being spotted by the Dalish. Surely one of the sentries saw her and quickly deduced that she probably had something to do with the attack. You're getting too old for this she thought bitterly, she was not as fast or as strong as she had once been when she was still adventuring about.<p>

Her only solace was that the Chevalier was as good as dead or at the least would be on the way to the grave. Well now what she thought to herself rather sadly, her son is gone and now she could begin the process of grieving for him. Suicide was certainly out of the question because she did attempt after her son died but found that she just couldn't do it. She supposed that she could go back to Amaranthine; she still had some family there.

Hissing again as another flash of pain flared upon her shoulder, the elf woman had attempted to remove the crossbow bolt which had struck her but by some rotten luck, the damn thing broke and now the head of it was stuck. She had seen the charge of the Red Storms and to her surprise; she had seen how the swordsman had unleashed deadly magic upon them while a rider in Silverite armor of an unknown design had unleashed fiery arrows. The Dalish elves had as she suspected, aided the strangers in the fight with a volley of arrows and magic.

Her best bet now was to find the survivors that ran off and get them to help her remove the damn crossbow bolt. There was a healer amongst the Red Storm mercenaries; hopefully the man could perform the necessary surgery. At least her horse was not far from where she now was.

As she took another step forwards, she heard the sounds of hooves behind her and she hoped that it was one of the Red Storms. Looking back, her eyes widened and she saw the Silverite armored rider from the Dalish camp. The rider was accompanied by another rider, a young black haired elven girl who looked to be in her mid to late teens but wearing a suit of reinforced leather armor.

'Maker's Breath!' she thought with a curse and her survival instinct began to kick in and she began to run for it.

* * *

><p>With a grim expression etched upon her face, Illenya spotted her bleeding prey, the one who had shot Khorieus. The trail left by this one was pitifully easy to follow, in the distance she saw an un-mounted horse which stood on its own. It was obvious that the horse belonged to the archer.<p>

Briefly glancing towards Kallian, Illenya was pleased that the horse they had taken from the red armored men had obeyed the Ellyrian's words. Still, Kallian's riding skills could certainly use some improvement but at the least she had not fallen off had done anything to significantly slow the Harbinger down. Stowing away her bow by the saddle, she pulled out her spear, _Avaldoir which_ blazed with the same purifying fires which imbued _Lecaihain._

Raising _Avaldoir_ with the tip facing the sky, she shouted a word of praise in honour of Kurnous the Hunter. Filled with a small measure of the Hunt, the Harbinger drew back her right arm which held the long handled spear as easily as if it were a simple javelin. She then cast the magic which blazed even brighter in mid air as it flew towards the fleeing archer.

The archer then, to Illenya's surprise leapt to the left of the Ellyrian and the spear had missed by a hair's breadth from impaling the back of the archer's knee and instead it had struck the ground. With a muttered curse, she focused her will upon _Avaldoir_'s enchantments and the spear which was embedded in the soil began to vibrate before extricating itself and it swiftly flew back towards the Harbinger.

Due to being on the back of a fine Ellyrian steed, Illenya quickly closed the distance with the archer. With a second cast of her spear, Illenya struck the archer in the back of the knee and eliciting a high pitched shout of pain. Slowing Asfalrhan down, the Reaver soon came to a stop near the prone form of the archer who was clearly a woman.

Leaving the spear embedded into the woman, Illenya reached for one of the Dalish Dar'misaan swords which was placed within its scabbard on the side of her saddle. The Dalish long sword slid out from its protective casing, it felt a bit heavier than the typical Asur forged blade but she could manage. Looking towards Kallian who nodded as she held her crossbow at the read, the child nodded to the Ellyrian.

Drawing closer to the archer woman, Illenya was prepared in the event that the archer might try something like throw a knife at her. Purposefully making as much noise as she could, the Ellyrian tensed herself and she willed _Avaldoir_ to return to her. With a cry of pain from the archer who was face down on the ground and trying to call away, the spear sprang out and it returned to Illenya who grabbed it with her left hand.

'Make not one more move' was all the Ellyrian said in a cold tone 'stand up, then turn around and face me, for we have much to discuss.' The archer reluctantly but slowly obeyed, at this range, Illenya could see the familiar slim figure and pointed ears marking that the archer was one of the elves of this world.

The archer slowly turned around and she suddenly sprang with great agility towards Illenya with a short blade in her left hand. Swiftly swiping the Dalish sword to parry the short blade, the archer retracted and ducked under the sword as her short blade was thrust upwards and aiming for the Ellyrian's exposed chin. Swiftly raising one knee up, she struck the archer in the gut while a clack sound from Kallian's crossbow and it hit the woman again in the right shoulder.

Sweeping _Avaldoir_ low, Illenya knocked the woman off of her feet and onto her back. The archer quickly recovered as she held on to her blade, she was then forced to stop as the tip of the spear lay dangerously close to the belly of the archer. All Illenya needed was a simple push forwards and the magic spear would be embedded into warm entrails.

'Do it!' hissed the archer with rage and hate. She looked to be of a similar age to the Ellyrian, of course Illenya had to remind herself that the elves of this world seemed to age like humans, and thus was probably on a small fraction of the Harbinger's age. 'End my sodding misery damn you!' cursed the woman with further vitriol which was tinged with desperation and grief'.

'I will not, until I know the nature of the poison you have used upon my friend' the Ellyrian coldly said.

'The one with the axe?' asked the woman who managed to maintain consciousness and focus despite the burning pain which should have seared her leg. 'He is already dead, the poison I used kills slowly and painfully' continued the woman who spoke with a tinge of satisfaction in her pained voice 'It is resistant to magical healing, too merciful of an end to the bastard.'

Hearing all of the hate and cold hatred in the woman, Illenya was uncomfortably reminded of those days after the deaths of Laneleis and Aranthir. She remembered the madness and despair which Khorieus had fallen into in the decades which had followed and the dark path he had begun to take. For one who had lived with death and war for centuries and seen what it does to those left behind, Illenya realized the nature of this woman's hate.

'He killed someone close to you didn't he?' asked Illenya a bit sadly as she softened her tone while keeping the spear near the woman's chest. For a moment, the woman was taken aback by the High Elf's words, tears began to well up in the woman's eyes and it wall Illenya needed to see.

'My son' replied the woman with grief and anger 'murdered like so many while just doing his duty, beheaded with his body butchered like a pig and cast over the walls'.

Hearing a gasp from Kallian, Illenya did not glance towards the child, clearly she knew of whom the woman was talking about. Although the Ellyrian had killed many people in the past and no doubt more than a few were husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers, it was simply… just the way things were in her world. It was one thing to slay heartless monsters like orc, goblins, undead, skaven or creatures steeped in evil like the followers of Chaos or the _Druchii_, it was harder though with other elves and sometimes, even men or dwarfs.

'I am sorry to hear that' was all Illenya could say for in her long life, she had known full well what it meant to lose family and kin. 'But I must learn the how to cure my friend' she continued 'his life is very precious to me.'

'Please' came the desperate voice of Kallian as she drew closer upon horseback as she looked to the wounded woman. 'I am sorry for what had happened' she said sadly 'things were just… out of control that day.'

The woman looked up to child for a moment and sudden look of realization seemed to pass upon the injured archer 'you were one of the ones getting married, weren't you? Adaia's daughter?'

A surprised look came over Kallian's face, it seemed clear that the child did not know who this woman was but certainly, the archer knew something of Kallian.

'How did you know my mother?' asked Kallian with surprise. A look of sadness and nostalgia passed the woman's face despite still lying on the ground with a burned leg and a spear pointed towards her stomach.

'Most of the folk in Denerim's Alienage did not accept me for my son had a human father' said the woman, a measure of disgust welled up within Illenya at the idea of such intermingling but decided to remain silent. 'But your mother was a kind and understanding person' the woman continued with tears already welling up in her eyes 'she helped me find work and the get the money to pay for a home to settle down in and raise my child when he was still just an infant.'

Glancing towards Kallian with her spear still pointed towards the archer, Illenya saw that the child nearly looked about ready to weep as raised her gloved right hand to cover her mouth.

'I know I have no right to ask you, especially after what had happened, but please' begged Kallian. 'Khorieus is not a bad person, he had saved my life and that of other women' the child said 'were it not for him, the Arl's son would have violated and likely murder us afterwards.'

A moment of silence passed as the woman listened to Kallian's words and the archer began to look deeply conflicted. It depressingly seemed that even in this world, the threads of fate could be cruel indeed.

'I am sorry then…' the woman said with resignation 'but I cannot help you, the poison afflicts the victim's blood and causes the person to die a slow and painful death, it was made to be especially resilient to spells of healing.' The woman then looked back to Illenya with tearful eyes which longed for the peace of the grave; she nodded to and said 'do it then, have your vengeance, please let me be reunited with my son.'

For a long moment, Illenya held _Avaldoir_ in place, if what this woman said was true, then the Harbinger should plunge the blade inside and avenge her _Senthanos_. Yet, she could not hate this woman for what she had done; it was all simply a cruel cast of the dice which had forced them all on such a path.

With a weary sigh, Illenya lifted her spear and aimed it towards the woman's heart, with a swift thrust which elicited a gasp of pain from the archer and surprise from Kallian. Having fulfilled the archer's wish for a quick death, the Ellyrian then called to the now dead woman's horse, the horse obediently followed them as Illenya took its reins and turned around to face Asfalrhan.

Looking to Kallian who was still upon the back of her horse, tears had welled up in the child's eyes. The Harbinger then said 'let us return to the Keeper child.' Kallian nodded and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes, with that, Illenya mounted her steed and the two rode away, back to the camp of the Dalish and leaving the archer woman whose name the Ellyrian would never know, whose face became one of peace as the two women left.

* * *

><p>'Looks like there was a camp around here boss' noted Rutger as he studied the ground, the hounds were busily sniffing the ground and they had found a pile of cold horse dung on one side of the site.<p>

'How old is it?' asked Cormack for he wondered who this group of riders were and if they too were hunting for that Chevalier. He was not keen on the idea of having someone beat both he and his band to that bounty.

'Two, maybe three hours old by my reckoning' shrugged the Ranger.

With a nod, Cormack ordered his men to keep on moving until they were sure that the Chevalier was either dead or captured whether it be by his mercenary band or another. The men around him obeyed and they continued with their march, the adventurers they had run into had done a rather admirable job in keeping up with them. Rutger had told him about what he and others had overheard with those adventurers; his superiors may be interested in dishing out some payback.

Not that he cared with what happened to some of their guys from the Free Marches. He had never been there so he doubted that he would have known anyone they killed. Besides, if that Chevalier was as tough as they said, then they need would all the bodies they could get.

Already the sun was high up, probably near noon by his guess, he hoped they found the Chevalier soon because many of the men were already reaching the limits of their stamina. When they find the Chevalier, they likely would have to rest up as well before the fight; otherwise the men may be too tired to even swing a blade right.

As they continued to run, following the direction of the hoof tracks, the men of the Black Hounds and those adventurers had after another hour, found the riders. In the distance, they saw a group of a dozen men riding upon horseback. Each wore red splintmail armor which was edged with a trim of bronze, by the looks of them as well when Cormack got a closer view; some of them had been on the losing end of a fight, more than a few had arrows sticking out of their armor.

'Ho! There friends!' shouted Cormack as he waved towards the riders, he knew that his men would be readying their weapons now just in case things turned bloody. 'Lovely day for a ride eh?' Cormack then said while trying to sound friendly in a non-too honest manner 'You lads look like you all got into a spot of trouble there.'

'Who goes there!' shouted one of the riders with suspiciou as he reached for a sheathed sword on his back.

'No need for that stranger!' Cormack called out. 'We are just honest soldiers of fortune passing by here' he then said 'You lads look like you need some help'

'We are fine, thanks!' The lead rider said curtly 'we are just leaving anyway!'

'I can't help but notice that you fellows look like someone gave you a good beating' Cormack then said 'anything an honest traveler needs to worry about in these parts?'

'A damned clan of knife ears and mages that's what!' the man then said, it was clear from the lead rider's expression that he was losing his patience.

'Funny that you should mention some knife ears' Cormack replied 'we are looking for someone a "friend" who may be traveling about with a bunch of them'

The lead rider, whose face was concealed by his helmet became silent for a moment until he called out. 'Are you all hunting for the Chevalier?' the rider asked.

'Aye, that we do!' nodded Cormack who by now realized that these men were the ones they had been on the trail of, and that surely they could not have killed the Chevalier. Good, this means that he could still claim the bounty.

'Well don't bother!' shouted the rider as he drew closer until he was a little below a dozen feet away from the Black Hounds captain. 'We didn't see the bastard, but we found some people he was with, they killed over a dozen of my men with arrows and magic.'

A knot of unease filled Cormack for like many people, he was wary of mages. Best way to deal with a sorcerer from his experience was to pincushion the bastard with arrows and crossbow bolts and then cut the sorcerer's tongue out. Handing them to the Templars afterwards was sometimes profitable though.

'Maybe we can help each other then' offered Cormack as he looked up to the rider who removed his helmet to reveal a younger man. 'We got a mage of our own here, should even things out' the Black Hound Captain then said as he jerked a thumb over his right shoulder towards the adventurers he had picked up.

'You all hunt the Chevalier as well?' asked the lead rider towards the adventurers.

'Aye we do!' replied the Ash Warrior 'we have our own reasons to bring the Chevalier to justice, but we have sworn to the Maker finish this or die trying!' the rider studied the adventurers for a moment with a calculating look, a satisfied look then came upon the man who looked towards Cormack.

'Perhaps a head on assault was not the best of choices' the rider said 'perhaps we should have tried to be more subtle?'

'We can be subtle if we wanted to' boasted Cormack with a devilish grin. 'So how about it?' he asked as he offered a large meaty hand, already he was planning backstabbing this man.

'I think we can come to an agreement then' the man said as he took Cormack's hand and gave it a firm shake.

'The name is Cormack of the Black Hounds' said the mercenary captain in introduction.

'Morgan of the Red Storms' replied the mounted man. By the look in the rider's eye, he was already trying to figure out a way to cheat the Black Hounds of the bounty.

* * *

><p>Kneeling upon the grass and placing his index and middle finger upon the neck of another fallen rider, Theron did not feel a pulse again. Already that was ten dead <em>shem<em> by his count, well at least it was just another poor bastard whose gear seemed serviceable enough. He could see the the man took an arrow on the other side of the neck and had likely bled out.

Removing the dead man's helmet which concealed most of his face and left his mouth and chin exposed, Theron saw that it was a black haired young man, probably about the same age Theron was. Not that the hunter really cared for who the man was; any _shem _that bothered to attack his clan deserved an arrow in the eye. Taking the time to removed the dead man's armor, Theron also took the human's sword and shield as well as a pouch of coins.

Around the hunter, his clan mates were already preparing to move the camp while others were stripping the bodies of anything useful as well as reigning in the horses of their attackers. Most of the horses would have their saddles removed and set free; some though would probably be used to help pull the _aravels_. Perhaps he should take one for himself and learn to ride on it rather than using one of his clan's Halla.

'I found a live one!' came the voice of Tamlen as Theron checked the pulse of another man whose body was riddled with arrows. Rising up, Theron went towards his friend whose now bald head shined like a polished piece of metal. Tamlen looked towards the hunter and nodded, a few others such as Fenarel and their new clan mate from the Alienage, Pol were making their way to the fallen man.

Looking down to see an older human man whose eyes were glazed with pain. An Arrow had punctured the shem's left shoulde, his right thigh had two arrows another in side of the stomach a little bellow the heart and another in his right chest. The man would certainly die if the wounds went untreated, it was fortunate that at the moment, Theron had a poultice at the moment and thus leverage to use against the man.

Reaching into a small satchel on the side of his belt and removing a red poultice bottle, Theron dangled the liquid over the man's eyes as he called to the man and tried to catch his attention. The _shemlen _weakly raised up his right arm and tried to reach for the poultice which really would mean life or death for the human.

'If you want it, human' spoke Theron coldly as he gave the poultice another shake 'tell me why your fellows attacked us'

The shemlen slowly turned his head towards Theron and he painfully groaned before answering. 'We were looking… for the Chevalier' he said weakly in a raspy tone 'a knight in silverite with a burning axe… killed a lord's son… big bounty on his head…'

Raising an eyebrow with curiosity, Theron realized that the man was talking about Khorieus. 'How much of a bounty is on this… "Chevalier's" head?' asked Theron with curiosity and wariness.

'Five… five hundred sovereigns…' rasped the man.

Oh sod that's a lot of money thought Theron as he looked to his clan mates and their eyes widened at the idea of such a large amount of gold. While he trusted them not to try to betray the High Elf who had been responsible for saving the lives of both he and Tamlen, the fact that there was such a large bounty on his head just made the warrior dangerous to be around.

'We can't keep the _Asur_ around the clan' announced Fenarel with unease for many members of their clan had taken a liking to these strange elves. 'What if more of these bounty seekers come?' he added in a worrying tone.

'I agree' nodded Tamlen reluctantly for they all had their duties to protect the clan.

'We should probably discuss this with the Keeper' added Pol who then looked back to the _shem_ 'what about him though?'

'Oh that' replied Theron in a disinterested tone as he handed the man the poultice.

'Maker bless you…' rasped the man gratefully, Theron then looked to Tamlen with a cold expression and a nod. His friend nodded back and reached for his hunting knife while the _shemlen_ weakly tried to removed the stopper with his left hand. The man did not see it coming when Tamlen slashed his knife across the human's throat and spraying them all with arterial blood, the man's eyes bulged and then rolled up as he gurgled before finally expiring.

'Come on then' Theron said 'let's search the rest of the bodies before we move the camp.'

* * *

><p>Drinking down a blue bottled potion which contained Lyrium, Solona felt her magical energies instantly replenish. It was already the fourth bottle she had consumed within the day, if she were not careful, she might start developing an addiction for it. With satisfied sigh, she looked to see the Keeper of the Dalish and her apprentice were discussing on what they could do to heal the <em>Asur<em> warrior.

Currently, they were kneeling around in the _Aravel _of the Keeper with Khorieus still in a comatose state. Yransair was there as well, clad in his full plate armor, the white magic stones embedded into his armor and long sword glowed weakly as he continued to attempt more spells of healing. The larger _Asur_ had remarkably remained quiet throughout the ordeal with the only sounds he made were growls of pain as his teeth were gritted and sweat beaded upon his brow.

All of their healing attempts had failed and even the herbs and potions they had brewed had done nothing. Whoever made the poison was a truly a master, to even be able to create a poison which could strongly resist magical healing was a testament to its maker's skill. Already they had exhausted all possible spells of healing they knew of.

Yransair groaned with weariness and frustration as eventually he himself had stopped. Solona saw that the High Elf now had dark rings under his eyes and he looked absolutely exhausted, she heard him mutter what seemed to be a curse in his native tongue as he looked to Khorieus with a determined look. He muttered something again in Eltharin as he stroked a gauntleted finger under his chin.

'The poison afflicts the victim's blood' muttered the High Elf as he repeated what Illenya and Kallian had told them earlier. For many minutes now, he had been repeating it like a mantra as if there was some sort of clue to it.

'Is there anything you can do?' asked Solona with concern for she had found the other _Asur_ to be rather likeable in a stern sort of way.

'If only I could call upon the Wind of _Chamon_' muttered Yransair as he referred to one of the different Winds of Magic from his world. From what Solona had gleaned, _Chamon_ or the Wind of Metal was primarily involved in alchemy, metallurgy and transmutation.

'How would it be useful?' asked Solona with more than a hint of scholarly interest, despite the situation.

Yransair then looked to the mage and spoke 'Within blood, there is iron, if I had access to the Wind of Metal; I could use it to alter the blood flow, and perform an exsanguination, thus removing the poisoned blood.'

As ghastly as it sounded for it seemed a lot like Blood Magic, Solona could not help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity 'but wouldn't that kill him?'

'Indeed it would' nodded Yransair who then answered 'but with the proper application of healing magic, it would be possible to swiftly cause the body to regenerate the lost blood… unfortunately it would have to be done when the patient is nearly drained for the risk of the poison mixing in with the fresh blood would be high.'

'I see…' muttered Solona as she tried to grasp the concept of this odd alternative to healing. 'Have you done anything like that before?' asked Solona with unease.

'Yes, I have' replied the Loremaster with a grim nod 'a long tale, but sufficed to say the procedure had proven… successful to say the least.'

'But it doesn't matter because you cannot use the Wind of Metal?' Solona then said.

'Indeed' nodded Yransair with a defeated sigh 'All I have at the moment are spells from the Wind of Light and Heaven.'

'Perhaps you all should rest for now' spoke the Keeper towards the rest of them as she gathered the emptied bottles from Solona and Merrill.

'I shall stay Keeper, but thank you' said Yransair with a determined look 'I need to find some way to neutralize this poison.' The Keeper nodded to the Loremaster as she went towards the side of the _Aravel _and placed the empty bottles on a shelf.

With a reluctant nod, Solona rose up and went towards the back of the _Aravel_. Hopping off of the back of the wagon, Solona quickly stepped aside to let the Aravel behind pass, she would head to the wagon of Theron's which she, Kallian and the High Elves had been staying these past days. Already, the Dalish clan were getting ready to move again.

'Excuse me, Solona, do you have a moment' came a familiar voice from behind and the mage turned back to see the Keeper's Apprentice, Merrill.

'I do, yes' nodded Solona 'Is there something I can help you with?'

'About what the High Elf, Yransair said...' spoke Merrill with a somewhat hushed toned 'I think I know a way in which we can heal Khorieus'

'Oh?' asked Solona with deep curiosity as she then asked 'what sort of way?'

'It's best that we talk… in private.' Was all the Keeper's Apprentice then said as she looked about a bit warily to the rest of her kin.

'Lead the way then' nodded the mage whose interest was piqued. The two of them traveled a short distance to one of the _aravels_ which she believed was owned by another of the clan's elders, _Hahren _Paivel she believed he was called. Merril then climbed into the Aravel and asked Solona to just follow the Aravel.

After wait for a few minutes, Merril emerged and hopped off the back of the Aravel with a book bound in a rust colored surface of hardened leather in her hands. Looking to the front cover of the book which looked well worn and rather old, Solona read "_How to use Friends and Influence Enemies"_. Having never heard of this book before, she wondered if it was some sort of spell book for she had seen many such things in the library of Kinloch Hold.

'I think with this, we can cure the poison' Merrill then said with a confident look.

'It does not sound like a book which pertains to healing' noted Solona.

'No it does not' nodded Merrill 'it is a manual which contains knowledge of power within blood.'

'Maker's Breath!' gasped Solona with surprise for she instantly realized what the elf meant. 'Blood Magic!?' she said a bit loudly 'how did you come to have this book?'

Holding on to the book with her forearms over the book's cover, the elf explained 'The night when Theron and Tamlen had first brought Illenya to our camp, Mahariel had found this and he gave it to me.'

'And how did Theron come into the possession of this book?' asked Solona a bit warily.

'A group of human slavers sought to abduct members of our clan as well as some of the other clans back in the Brecillian' explained Merrill 'none of the slavers survived, but Theron found this on the body of their leader, a human mage.'

'And have you read from it?' questioned Solona a bit worriedly for if she were to learn Blood Magic, then it would brand her as a Maleficar and it would give the Templars more reason to hunt her. She had no idea what the Dalish's official stance on Blood Magic was but it surely could not be anything positive given their history of slavery to the Tevinter Imperium.

There were a lot of times Solona thought that the main reason why the Chantry outlawed Blood Magic was simply out of spite towards the Tevinter Magisters. Then again, there were also many accounts of Blood Mages going insane and murdering large numbers of people to fuel their spells. To her, Blood Magic seemed to be a slippery slope which was perhaps even more slippery than most slopes should be.

'Skimmed through' shrugged the elf. 'I have not had the time to seriously study it until-' she said before suddenly silencing herself.

'Until what?' asked Solona with worry.

'Nevermind, its not important' finished Merrill, thus leaving Solona both curious and feeling more than a worried 'what matters is that we can heal Khorieus while doing what Yransair said'.

'I…' said Solona a bit hesitantly for she could not fault the logic in it. If they used Blood Magic, they could possibly perform the procedure Yransair had mentioned, the Loremaster could then use his healing magic to ensure that Khorieus did not loose to much blood and died.

'I think we should discuss this… with Yransair' she said with uncertain finality.

'Come on then' nodded Merrill and the two mages went back towards the Keeper's _Aravel_.

* * *

><p>'How long have they been gone?' asked the mounted captain of the Red Storms as Luthias checked the ground around their now combined group.<p>

'Two hours at the most' replied the adventurer as he looked the Black Hounds Ranger and he nodded in agreement.

'Come on let's keep moving while we still have daylight' said the other mercenary captain with anticipation.

At this point, it seemed that the mercenaries were getting more restless, no doubt that the idea of their quarry being so near and the bounty of so much gold was getting to them. Greed, Luthias had learned rather bitterly in past adventures could do strange and terrible to men. Sooner or later, the mercenaries would be putting daggers in each other's backs.

As long as he and his party were out of it by the time justice had been served then he would be glad for it. What worried him though was that, according to the Red Storms, there were two other powerful strangers, one of whom was a dangerous mage while another was the one responsible for the attack on the militia party had revealed that indeed they were with the Chevalier. And then there was the part where the Dalish clan rose up against the mercenaries in defense of the Chevalier's companions.

The Dalish would certainly complicate things for many of them were likely skilled archers and their clans often had one or two mages. Perhaps they could sneak into the camp and quietly take down the Chevalier and his two mighty companions? It may be wise for it was strongly possible that with the assistance of the wandering elves, they would need even more men.

Night would be falling soon though and elves were said to have good night sight. They would have to be swift and silent if they were to take this murderer down; already he had heard the mercenaries discussing the merits of a stealthy approach. He and Marien would likely volunteer for both of them knew how to be quiet; perhaps he should suggest to the mercenaries that only the two of would go so as to avoid any other unnecessary death.

A good idea he thought, perhaps some of the mercenaries could be used to cause a distraction? He would be sure to make the suggestion later. If all else failed though, he knew the mercenaries would launch a head on assault on the camp. If that happened, he shuddered to think what would happen to the women and children at the camp if the mercenaries, the Black Hounds especially were the ones who were left standing.

* * *

><p><em>That evening…<em>

With the Keeper now resting in the _Aravel_ of the clan's _Hahren_, Kallian was now within the lantern lit _aravel_ of the matriarch along with Solona, Yransair and the other Dalish mage, Merrill. Kallian had come to check on Khorieus, but when she had climbed in, it seemed that they were in the midst of some sort of debate.

'I will not force you if you do not wish to child' spoke Yransair towards Solona as his helmet lay beside him; the bearded High Elf looked just absolutely haggard.

'I know it will just give the Chantry more reason to come after me' the human mage said a bit uneasily 'but I am willing to risk it though if it means saving Khorieus'.

'Only if you are willing to child' the sword wielding High Elf then said, it seemed that he felt conflicted over something.

'I am' said the human in a more confident manner.

'I am sorry but what's going on?' interjectedd Kallian with curiosity.

Solona then looked towards Kallian and she replied rather bluntly 'We were discussing whether we should use Blood Magic to heal Khorieus.'

'Blood Magic!?' came the shocked expression of Kallian as she remembered all those boring sermons at the Chantry Chapel back in the Market District 'isn't that evil though?'

'That is what the Chantry claims' said Merrill as she handed a book towards Kallian. Taking the book which was bound in hardened leather which had the color of rust, she mentally read the book's title, Kallian was more than a bit confused.

'I read the book' Solona then said 'I am fairly certain that it is far from being as terrible as the Chantry says it is.' Unsure about this, Kallian looked to the High Elf who surely was an expert in matters of magic.

'In my world' he said calmly 'there are many ignorant fools who have misconceptions about magic which they believe is a universal truth. I am not one to judge this... Blood Magic at the moment for I myself am quite capable of tearing person's soul out and damning them to an eternity of torment'

Giving the High Elf a long look, especially with the very casual way he mentioned that last part, Kallian looked to Solona who nodded. There was something in the human's expression which made Kallian believe that Yransair was not joking.

'All right then, so what do we do?' asked Kallian more than a bit worriedly as she began to remember a lot of the horrible tales which had been passed down in the Alienage as well from the Chantry about the evils of Blood Magic.

'We will need time, concentration… and luck' was all Solona said.

* * *

><p>Night had now fallen across Thedas with the moon shining darkly as the stars twinkled in the sky. Moving ahead as quietly as he could while keeping his head down, Luthias crept ahead with the Bard watching his back. They could see the Dalish wagons which had finally stopped, elves could be seen standing guard with bows at the ready.<p>

He had only been partially successful in convincing the mercenaries of his plan, at the least though, they had been able to compromise and decide that some of the mercenaries would join the two and make a distraction. Glancing back towards his companion, the Orlesian woman gave him a warm reassuring smile and a nod. With a deep breath and a whispered prayer to Maker for luck, it was now or never thought Luthias.

* * *

><p>With more than a bit of confusion, Darius was honestly surprised to see that the Phylactery had pointed them towards a Dalish camp which lay down the hill not far from their position. If the fugitive from Denerim was some sort of elf then it was perhaps possible that the one with the Apostate mage was also another of this strange breed of elf. Unsure himself on how to proceed, Elena had volunteered to go down there with the Phylactery and try to talk things out while masquerading as something less conspicuous.<p>

It seemed like a foolish plan but he had no idea how many archers could be down at the camp. There was also the fact that after another hard day of riding, they and especially their horses need rest. Darius had reluctantly agreed to this plan for in the darkness of the night like this, it was all too easy for his fellow Templar to be walking into a trap.

Darius now had dozens Templars with him, each one armed, armored and more than ready to pull out their weapons should trouble arise, they even had magical support from mages if need be. Cautiously glancing down the hill to see Elena descend while dressed in a simple suite of chain mail and looking like a common sellsword, Darius could not help feel a dark sense of foreboding, it was like the wait before battle.


	12. Oriour

Having a somewhat glazed look upon her face, Kallian had listened to Solona's lecture about the finer points of alchemy and its effects on the living body. The mage was making heavy use of some very technical sounding terms, a majority of which the simple thief from the alienage in Denerim had absolutely no idea on what they even meant. The other two who accompanied her, Merril and Yransair seemed to completely understand everything as if it were a very casual conversation about what to buy at the market.

They had transferred Khorieus to the _aravel_ of Theron who was now out on sentry duty again. The Dalish hunter had been a little curious about the why they would need his _aravel_, Kallian did not explain the plan to use Blood Magic and simply said that they did not wish to disturb the Keeper from sleeping tonight. Of course the words alone were not entirely convincing to the hunter but Kallian had spoken them in her best attempt at being sultry and seductive and like most men, Theron had quickly then agreed to it.

Raising her hands with palms facing Solona who continued to explain, Kallian then spoke 'I am sorry but could you explain that again please, in Common.'

'It's simple really' replied Solona with a slight frown 'just as most spells require Mana and the Fade to fuel it, Blood Magic requires well, blood.'

'Okay… so we need someone's blood to make this spell work?' asked Kallian rather cautiously for she honestly had no idea on how much this magic stuff really worked.

'Indeed' confirmed the human mage 'for the spell to work, we need someone to draw blood from… a "sacrifice" you might say.'

'Whoever agrees to it though' added Yransair in a calm and confident tone 'will have nothing to fear for I shall be here to make sure that not too much blood is lost.'

'I will do it then' said Kallian with determination for she had trust in Yransair's magic 'take my blood.'

'Good' nodded Solona 'I had a feeling you would'. The human mage then reached for her sheathed sword which lay beside her, she grabbed the hilt and with a gentle but swift pull, she slipped the blade out of its scabbard. The mage then handed the sword towards Kallian with its tip facing the City Elf who began to remove leather gauntlets.

'All right' said Kallian with a nervous exhale as she was starting to have a bad feeling about this plan, she then reached out for the sword and she grabbed the sharp edges with her hands. Softly hissing as she felt the pain of the blade cutting into her palms, Kallian simply thenjust said 'let do this'.

* * *

><p>There was an air of tension around the camp as he stood watch; Theron Mahariel could not blame his kin for many were still wary from the attack this morning. The mood was hardly helped by the fact that now, everyone among the clan were aware of the large bounty placed on the head of at least one of their guests. At the moment, the Keeper and the clan's elders had already decided that for the safety of their clan, they should politely ask the High Elves to leave soon.<p>

It was not an easy decision to make for many within their clan had grown fond of these strangers. There was also the fact that Theron himself and Tamlen had owed their lives to their guests. At the least though, his clan could make sure that when the _Asur_ leave, they would be well provisioned for the journey ahead.

It was night now, a time to stay alert for it was during the cold darkness when brigands and other unsavory types would be about. The only light which emanated from the camp was those of their campfires at the center of the circle of _aravels_. He would not be surprised if those mercenaries who had attacked earlier were regrouping and preparing for another raid.

Lightly gripping the staff of his bow in one hand, Theron had an arrow held in the other. He would need only a second to bring the arrow up to the string and have it pointed at a target and he knew full well that he could unleash another shot before the first one even struck. He was confident that his clan would be just as ready as he if there were any more hostile encounters tonight.

His vigil remained tense but uneventful as time passed; his eyes scanned the grassy horizon as his back faced the circle of wagons, the cold winds caused the sea of grass to ripple shake. They had made sure that each sentry was within the other's line of sight well as shouting distance. At the corner of his eye, he noticed something moving across the plain, it was a single person he realized with trepidation.

'I see someone coming!' came the voice of a clansman to his left and several eyes were soon upon this solitary figure. Already, he could hear the sounds of bows being strung and with but a single command; they could pincushion this stranger in a blink of an eye. The stranger surprisingly stopped and he could see that the person had its hands up.

'Don't shoot yet!' called out Theron who lowered his bow and he saw that no one had yet to open fire. He might as well check and see what this stranger wanted he thought. No point in wasting arrows on these plains where there were not many trees to begin with, besides, if he did decide to kill the human then his kin were just nearby. 'I will go and talk to this stranger!' announced Theron to his clan as he set his bow and quiver by the wheel of the aravel behind him and he drew his sword before moving towards their unexpected visitor.

The stranger remained still with hands where he could see them, at a closer look; he saw that the strange was a human woman who was wearing a suite of chain mail armor. The woman looked liked a sell sword he thought, wouldn't be surprised if she too were after the bounty on Khorieus.

'Hello!? Is someone there!? Help me please!?' came the desperate voice of the human woman whose accent suggested the she was a member of the Ferelden nobility. Despite the light of the moon and the stars above, Theron highly doubted that the human would be able to see him quite well.

'Turn around and walk away _shemlen_!' shouted Theron 'I have some friends surrounding you now! Walk away and no one needs to get hurt!'

'Please help me Ser!?' came human's voice again and at a closer. 'I was separated from my hunting party! we had been attacked by such horrid monsters!' pleaded the woman.

Theron's eyes widened with shock, were there Darkspawn about? He wondered with fear, if so how many? Could this human have Darkspawn chasing her? The woman drew closer to him, her hands still held up and he could clearly see the _shemlen_'s face.

'You have seen the Darkspawn!?' he then blurted out with worry.

'I have yes! Please help me! I can make sure you are all compensated!' pleaded the human once more. He liked the sound of that he thought as he drew closer and saw that the human was a rather handsome woman of middling years.

'All right then, just wait here' Theron said in a much less hostile tone while still holding on to his sword which was still lowered 'I will go talk to the others and see what we can do?'

'Oh thank you!' the woman then said in a seemingly grateful tone as her arms were held wide open. The next thing he knew, Theron was held in the woman's embrace, her bosoms which although covered by chain links and leather, were rubbing against his face. His face quickly blushed and was relieved that the leather kilt of his armor would do well to hide his… "appreciation" of the woman's gratitude.

Gently extricating himself from the human's embrace, Theron hoped his clansmen did not see that. 'Ahem, well I should get going _shem_- err madam, I will be right back then' he then said while trying to hide his awkwardness. Turning around and going back to the circle of aravels, he did not see the satisfied grin which creased upon the woman's face.

* * *

><p>The air seemed to grow colder as words of power escaped the lips of her three companions; Kallian could not help but watch in morbid fascination as she saw the cuts which had been slashed across wrists of Khorieus were now just gushing with so much blood. Feeling rather light-headed and in need of some rest, Kallian did her best to also ignore the painful wounds on her upturned hands for the blood from it was just "bubbling" like hot water in a cauldron.<p>

From time to time, she felt the comfortingly warm but brief flashes of magic from Yransair which according to him, would prevent her from loosing too much blood. She noted that the other High Elf was alternating between using his healing magic upon her and Khorieus as well.

Just don't pass out she mentally told herself, according to Solona, the spell would need her to keep up consciousness she was now part of it. Kallian had asked them what would happen if she allowed herself to be knocked out; her answer was cryptic at best. Something about the possibility of the spell backfiring on them, sufficed to say, this spell could potentially end badly for all of them if she doesn't stay awake.

Continuing to focus on maintaining her consciousness, Kallian eventually began to feel even more tired. Her eyes drooped and felt like they were trying to carry the weights of anvils, shaking her head and doing her best to stay awake. She watched as the blood which gushed from Khorieus was not pooling around the wooden floor of the _aravel_ but instead, it was flowing upwards and into a now half full bucket.

Unnerved by such an unnatural display, Kallian continued to focus on her part. The expression on the face of Khorieus was one which no longer seemed to be in pain; rather it looked like he was asleep. Just keep it together she thought to herself, she owed a lot to this warrior and now was finally the time to start repaying him.

Her eyes slowly began to droop again the idea of catching some shut was becoming very tempting. Shaking her head once more and trying to banish away the sleepiness, Kallian could soon begin to hear something other than the whispers of the mages. Curious at what this was, she began to try to listen in on this new sound and she realized that it was voice, a fourth voice was which was somewhat high in pitch was singing.

Looking around the _aravel_, she was alarmed to see that Solona, Merril, Yransair and Khorieus were all gone. Calling out the names of the four, she heard no response and a fresh wave of fear began to settle within her. What was happening she thought with alarm? Where was everyone? Kallian then noticed that the air had become cold; it was so cold that it was as if it were winter.

Seeing her own breath misting in the air, Kallian suddenly began to shiver from the cold. Placing the palms of her hands upon her shoulders, she noticed with further surprise that the wounds upon her palms were now gone. What was going on? She thought as she looked behind her and she noticed that there was sunlight shining down from the back of the_aravel_.

But it was just night! There was something going on here, something strange and unnatural. By the Maker! She thought, did she fall asleep during the spell? Hearing the voice again, she thought that she saw someone pass by the _aravel_.

'Is anyone there!?' shouted Kallian as fear began to creep into her voice. Rising up and moving towards the back of the aravel, her feet did not thud upon the wooden floor but instead, there was a crunching sound as if she stepped on snow. Well that was not right as well she thought before ignoring the strangeness of what was going on; Kallian hastened her steps to exit the wagon.

The light from outside soon began to become brighter, to the point that it was now blinding. Raising her right forearm and trying to block out the light, her vision was swamped with by the radiance and all she could was close her eyes to blot it out. Beneath the lids of her eyes, Kallian could still see the brightness, her fear began to rise once more but as soon as it started, it began to soothe as she heard the voice singing again.

The brightness of the light began to fade and eventually, Kallian picked up the courage to open her eyes once more. When her eye lids rose up, the City Elf suddenly found herself within a forest blanketed by snow. How did she get here? she thought as she looked around and to her surprise, she saw someone in white within the woods.

'Hello!?' Kallian called to this person who was singing and she began to run towards it. It seemed that she was not heard for the person in white kept on moving. Continuing to run towards this singer, she noticed at the corner of her right eye, that another thing was moving as well.

Looking to see what this was, her eyes widened with fear for she saw a massive white furred beast which looked like an oversized cat. Kallian quickly recognized the creature as of being a White Lion, the same sort of creature which Khorieus wore the pelt of. The lion seemed to be stalking the singing figure in white and its paws carried it ever closer.

She wanted to shout a warning to the singer but the words died out in her throat for she did not want the lion to hear her. She watched as the lion drew nearer to the singer, it began to pick up its pace until it was practically running. With a sudden gasp of fear, Kallian shouted 'Look out!' to the singer and she saw that the person turned around in time to see the lion leap.

The urge to cover her eyes came to Kallian but she found that she could not, the singer was going to be killed she thought with horror. She saw the lion leap onto the singer and the great beast knocked its prey into the white snow. Expecting to see blood and to begin hearing screams of agony, Kallian was surprised when she saw none of this, rather she heard laughter, a pure, joyful laughter from the singer.

Relief began to flood into Kallian and she could not help but let out a sigh. Deciding to stay quite, she moved closer to the singer and the lion and it looked like the person was actually playing with the beast. Kallian soon came close enough to see the singer, she saw the lion move away from the person who rose up and began to pat down its clothes.

Kallian was able to get a good look at the singer's face and to her surprise, she saw that it was another _Asur_. The High Elf was a beautiful boy who looked to be three or four years younger than her, but considering what she had learned from her companions, the boy could for all she knows, be old enough to be her great grandfather's father. The High Elf wore robes of the purest white with his shoulders covered by a shawl of white fur, the boy's skin was pale with hair of silvery white, for a moment, Kallian thought that she saw a resemblance to Khorieus but realized that it was not warrior for this _Asur_ had eyes which were sea green.

The lion moved towards the boy again and the High Elf simply smiled and he placed a delicate hand over the beast's head, the boy began scratching the back of the lion's ears and for a moment, Kallian thought that she could hear a deep purring sound from the beast. The boy then began to speak to the lion in the same lilting tongue she recognized as Eltharin. The boy then looked directly towards Kallian and he began to speak to her in that melodious language, his tone seemed friendly and warm.

The boy then began to move towards her and she noted that the boy seemed to be slightly taller than she was. The High Elf eventually came close enough to the point that he was face to face with Kallian who had been rooted to the spot, she could not help but blush a little at the sight of this High Elf. Kallian quickly noted something off about this _Asur_, she realized that he smelled of ashes and charcoal.

The High Elf boy continued to speak in Eltharin towards Kallian, he then raised both of his hands and placed his palms around her cheeks. He wasn't going to kiss her was he? She thought but as soon as Kallian felt the boy's flesh press against her own, she quickly felt an intense heat. The heat swiftly intensified until it was like a raging inferno and Kallian began to smell something akin to roasting pork.

To her horror, she realized that it was the smell of burning flesh, yet she felt no pain from the boy's touch. The boy then looked to her with a sad look and he suddenly whispered in the common language 'He is coming...'

'Who is coming?' asked Kallian with confusion and to her horror; she saw the boy's flesh begin to black and char. She watched as his beautiful face fell away in trails of ashes, the burning heat intensified and the boy responded in words which sent a chill down Kallian's spine, when she heard his words, she began to feel a surge of anger and bloodlust. Countless violent images soon flashed across her mind's eye, all of which were terribly all too familiar to her.

In a single sudden moment, Kallian's world was engulfed with flames; the boy's whispered words echoed within her mind, it was something which was both terrible and glorious to hear '_Khaela Mensha Khaine_…'

* * *

><p>Peering into the darkness with eyes already adjusted to the night, Illenya sat upon the driver's seat of Theron's <em>aravel<em>. Her steed, Asfalrhan was now sleeping along with the _Halla_and the mounts which had been claimed by the Dalish_, _the noble horse would need his rest for the long journey ahead. At the moment, the Ellyrian was wearing her armour along with the silk garments underneath it; her weapons were propped beside her and she could hear the whispers of whatever spell the mages were performing.

The Harbinger's thoughts were troubled by the revelation of this day's events. Although confident that Yransair would figure something out in healing Khorieus, she was worried about what the future may bring. From Theron, she had learned of the bounty placed on the head of Khorieus, five hundred gold coins was worth a fortune to just about any human or dwarf back on their world.

They could no longer stay with this Dalish kinband, to do so would only invite unnecessary danger to them. She would not be surprised if they would ask for her companions to leave as soon as Khorieus was fit and ready. It would be for the best she thought a bit sadly, these other elves deserved what peace they could claim.

'I see someone!' shouted the voice of one of the Dalish Elves from the west side of the camp, the heads of several of the elves, along with Illenya herself had turned towards the direction from where the voice came. Several of the archers quickly drew the strings on their bow and the Harbinger instinctively reached for _Lecaihain_. The magic within her bow blazed to life as a string of arcane fire materialized between the tips of the bow staff.

'Don't shoot yet!' came the voice of Theron 'I will go and talk to this stranger!' No arrows were fired and she guessed that the archers obeyed. She should probably go check on what this was she thought, it could be some sort of trap. Grabbing _Avaldoir_ as well, Illenya felt the wind blow in her direction and in the air she picked up the scent of unwashed bodies, old sweat and wet hounds.

Craning her neck towards the direction of the sparks, Illenya then saw a sudden spark of light and soon a dim fire began to burn in the distance. Could it be more of those mercenaries she thought? For in the past, she had fought sell swords such as the Tilean Dogs of War who could surprisingly be rather persistent when the reward for riches was high enough.

Looking around her to see if any of the Dalish sentries were nearby, she saw the reflective glimmer of moonlight which shone off of the bald plate where Tamlen's hair had once been. The Dalish hunter was looking at the same direction where Illenya had seen the fire. Tamlen then glanced up towards the Harbinger and he nodded before quietly going towards one of the other sentries.

Good, Illenya thought with approval for it seemed a bit too coincidental that some stranger had been spotted and at the same time, this fire was now burning. Dispelling the flames of _Lecaihain_, Illenya stowed her bow upon her back before leaping off from the _aravel_. Her feet landed softly upon the ground and she quietly began to move towards the distant flames with _Avaldoir_ in both hands.

Her spear was now held low with the tip pointing to the ground, her armour of which was imbued with illusionary magic of the Grey Wind would make her appear as but a blur to hostile eyes. Keeping her head low and prowling ahead, she picked up the scent of her prey once more, they were close now but she would have to be careful not to be detected.

The humans ahead of her lifted their bows up to the sky, their arrows were now blazing with small fires. Isha's tears! Illenya thought as she instantly learned what these men were planning. In a swift instant, she lifted up Avaldoir in one hand and she cast the enchanted spear like a javelin towards the nearest human.

The spear blazed with arcane fire as it flew, its light elicited sudden, surprised shouts among these men before one was impaled by the spear. The human she had struck stood there for a moment, the man gazed down upon the spear which was now sticking out from where his heart should be, a brief expression of disbelief passed the man's brutish face before collapsing to the ground. Orders were shouted and hounds began to bark angrily, _Avaldoir_ extricated itself from the dead man and flew back towards the Harbinger who deftly caught it by the shaft.

The humans followed the path of the burning spear and they unleashed a volley towards the empty ground where Illenya had once been. As swift as an _Asrai_ Wardancer, the Harbinger's silent steps left no trace of her passing save for the shouting and screaming which followed her.

* * *

><p>'Well aint you a pretty one?' came the voice of an ugly and brutish looking man with cauliflower ears, a nose looked liked it had been smashed and poorly reset, his flesh was thick and flabby with a mixture of muscle and fat. His teeth were blackened and broken in many spots, his breath reeked of cheep ale and in his eyes, she could see the lust and desire in his eyes.<p>

Disgusted at this, Kallian snorted and replied rather hotly 'why don't you sod off and look for some copper coin strumpet down at the docks.'

A flash of annoyance passed through the man's piggy eyes and the human grabbed her left shoulder with one meaty, calloused hand.

'How about I give you a copper coin eh?' said the man 'little girl like yourself probably has got folks to feed.'

Terrified that the man was much larger and stronger than she was, Kallian's bluster fell and she said 'just leave me alone!'

'Come on then, just a little kiss' rasped the man who brought his face towards her own. Kallian knew where this was going, last week, one of the girls back at the Alienage had been found, beaten and raped by a group of drunk men. Without thinking of it, she drew the homemade shiv she had made from a piece of scrap metal a dwarf smith in the Market District had thrown out, the man's eyes widened with surprised when the City Elf plunged the sharp object into the folds of his fat neck.

Her fear gave her a frenzied energy and Kallian found herself stabbing the human in the neck, again and again. Blood gushed out from the man and it now coated her right hand which held the shiv, he fell to his knees with an expression of surprise before collapsing upon the ground. She began to feel a mixture of horror and disgust over what she had done and the next thing she knew, she was vomiting all over the side of the garbage strewn alley.

She remembered this, Kallian thought, when she was eleven; she had delivered a few things her father had left at home before going to work. When she had been on the way back to the Alienage, she had bumped into this man who was going to take advantage of her. This man had been the very first person she killed.

'What are you going to do about it girlie!?' came the mocking voice of another man. Kallian suddenly saw two human men, each were probably just a year or two older than she was, now that she thought about it, the two men looked like they could be brothers. She heard the whimpering voice of one of her neighbors, another elf named Erion of whom was now lying face first into the mud with blood seeping from the back of his head.

She remembered this as well Kallian thought, Erion had owed money to these two humans, he had been good for it and paid the men in time, but at the last minute, the two men had decided to add "interest" to what her neighbor owed them. She had offered to help Erion out, keep watch on him, but had been too proud to ask for help and he felt confident that things would go smoothly. When he had left, she decided to quietly follow him and make sure that indeed, everything would go smoothly.

Looking at it now, Kallian realized that she had kept too much distance between herself and her friend. She could have heard the heated exchanged going on in the alley where Erion met the two men she could have stepped in on time when they began pummeling her friend with cudgels. Shocked to see what had happened to Erion and angered at these humans, she shouted and demanded for them to leave her friend alone.

Kallian then pulled out a dagger which she had practiced with, her mother knew a few things about fighting and she had taken it upon herself to teach Kallian how to defend herself or her kin. The two men laughed at the sight of Kallian holding the dagger, one man patted the bloodied head of his cudgel upon his left palm and said 'you want some of this girlie? I think we can oblige you.'

Running towards the two humans, Kallian saw the man who had talked to her swing his cudgel at her head. Kallian ducked underneath the blow and she thrust the dagger into the man's gut which was protected by a simple cloth shirt. The other man looked surprised to see the wound in the first man's gut and he was about to say something before Kallian's left knee struck him between the legs.

A pitiful squeal escaped the second man's lips and in her anger, Kallian picked up the cudgel of the man she had stabbed and she began to beat the second man as savagely as they had done with Erion. By the time she had finished, Kallian was surprised that she did not feel any horror or disgust at the deed, instead she felt a sense of cold satisfaction. She never knew what happened to those two men afterwards, she hoped that they had died after their encounter for her friend had not been so lucky; Erion had died later that night due to the injuries he sustained.

On and on, Kallian relived the moments of every person she had killed in her seventeen years of life. She saw herself at the age of thirteen, slitting the throat of that guardsman who had hummed a jaunty tune during her first heist. She saw herself at the age of fourteen in that street fight when a trio of men thought that they could "have fun" after she was returning from a tavern, it had been the first time in her life when she had tried ale and it ended with her being spattered in blood with three more deaths on her hands.

She then saw her more recent encounters; she saw the face of the man she had stabbed in the neck when his gang tried to steal the very things she herself had worked hard to "acquire". She saw herself gutting a watchman in the rain as she Khorieus cleaving through them as if they were but wheat before the farmer's scythe. She saw that desperate flight from Denerim when she and Khorieus had killed so many watchmen at the gate house.

She saw face of the hammer wielding bandit again who had that stunned look before she shot him in the face with the crossbow. She saw the hideous faces of the Darkspawn she had slain when they were at the castle where they found Theron. With each death, she re-lived the terror, exhilaration and euphoria she had felt and to her surprise, she hardly felt anything close to regret.

Her vision suddenly grew dark and she felt something warm and wet all over herself before a sense of weightlessness settled upon her. She tried to gasp but instead of inhaling water, she felt the coppery taste of blood enter her mouth. She was going to drown she thought to herself with terror, she was drowning in blood, desperately looking around, she saw that there was a light above her.

Kicking her feet and swimming upwards, Kallian found herself breaking the surface sooner than she had thought. Greedily gulping down breaths of warm air, Kallian found herself momentarily blinded as there was blood in her eyes. She began to frantically splash about before she finally caught hold of something which was solid but firm and warm, it felt like flesh she thought with confusion.

Tightly holding on this flesh-like mass with one hand, Kallian managed to wipe away the blood in her eyes before looking at whatever it was she held on to. She suddenly gasped in surprise when she saw that it was the shoulder of a corpse. The body was that of a nude, elven woman with angular features like that of Khorieus own, the woman's head was lolling back as lustrous black hair touched the bloody surface, there was a look of disbelief on the woman's face, she had one eye which was lavender in color but the other was just an empty socket which dripped with gore.

Kallian quickly noticed that beside the dead elven woman, there was the face of a dead male elf and then another beside him. Many pale skinned bodies of elves lay before her, all devoid of any garments and all bearing various manners of grievous wounds and dismemberment. Horrified at this macabre scene, Kallian heard something splash behind her and she caught sight of something which looked like the back of a serpentine creature with sharp spines growing upon its back. Quickly deciding to take her chances with the mound of bodies, Kallian quickly scrambled over the corpses and she soon found something stable to stand on.

Briefly looking down, to see more of the faces of these dead elves, she quickly noticed that she herself was devoid of any garments. Quickly covering herself with her hands, Kallian desperately looked around for any piece of clothing, instead she saw to her further surprise, more and more corpses. She glanced behind her to and she saw an actual ocean made entirely of blood. She could also smell something burning and when she looked up, she saw the sky was on fire.

What nightmarish place is this? She thought with horror before catching a ghostly glimpse of something in the distance. This time, it was something which appeared to be a shimmering being of white and pale green, it beckoned to Kallian and she felt a sudden, unnatural urge to follow it. Rising up to her bare feet, Kallian felt a freshly rising pang of dread as she followed this ghostly being with not control over herself.

Her bare feet stepped over the bodies of the dead, a fresh coat of gore clung to her feet.

* * *

><p>Walking back towards where had met the human woman, Theron had just discussed with his clan mates on what they should do. Unsurprisingly, they too were worried about the possibility of Darkspawn in the area but when Fenarel joined in and mentioned that Tamlen had seen fires in the distance, their worry quickly turned to suspicion and hostility. It was too much of a coincidence for this to happen thought Theron who was now quietly being shadowed by three of his clan mates.<p>

He would give the woman a last chance to leave; if she refused then he would ask her again, politely at with readied arrows for the human's head. With his night vision giving him a rather clear view through the darkness, Theron saw the woman was still standing where he had left her.

He called out to her and said with hostility 'You will have to leave _shem,_ go back to where you came from and we won't shoot you!' The woman did not respond and this infuriated the Dalish hunter. 'I am going to count to three! If you don't leave we will shoot you!' he then said with further assertion. Again, the woman did not respond and Theron began to count.

'One!' He shouted with no response again, 'Two!' he said again and nothing, oh that's it he thought with annoyance and instantly decided for no delayed third count. 'Three!' he shouted and he heard the arrows of his clan mates whistle over his shoulders. To his surprise, he saw that the woman was still just standing there, impossible! He thought for surely their arrows must have hit the human.

Ordering his clanmates to unleash another volley, they each fired a second arrow and again, there was no sound or response from the human. Cautiously moving towards the human with a sword in hand, Theron quickly drew close enough to see the woman and without a word, he swung his blade towards her neck. His sword passed through the woman as if it was just air and a sudden realization came over the Dalish hunter.

An illusion! He thought, the woman must have used some sort of deceptive magic. Looking around him to see if there was still any trace of her passing, Theron then saw a series of footprints upon the grassy ground. Crouching down to get a better look, he studied the prints and he quickly realized that they were heading towards the camp.

'Sound the alarm!' shouted Theron Mahariel 'we have intruders at the camp!'

* * *

><p>Looking down to the phylactery which she held in her left hand, Elena followed its direction towards the renegade mage. Shrouded by a spell of invisibility, the lady templar was glad to have the magic ring which had been given to her by one of the mages of the Iron Keep. The mage in question, a fellow from Amaranthine named Archibald was an old acquaintance of Elena who owed her a favor after an incident in Rivain with the Qunari.<p>

The phylactery led her to one of the _aravels_ where a strange light seemed to be glowing and she heard a series of voices chanting. Instincts honed by years of hunting apostates and maleficars began to tell her that something was deeply wrong, drawing her sword, she used one hand to slightly open the door. Pressing the side of her head to the _aravel _and trying to listen to what was being said, she could hear the voices which were female and at least one male.

The male voice was whispering some unknown sort of spell which sounded melodious and song-like. But the female ones were chanting blasphemous arcane which she was all too familiar with. Blood Magic she realized, there were two Blood Mages hiding within this clan.

Were the elves of this clan slaves to the wills of the two blood mages? Were they ignorant of what was going on within their midst? Or perhaps more darkly, they were willingly sheltering them? She did not have much time to debate on what must be done, but her duty to the Chantry and the Maker were clear. She had to get back and report to the others that she had found the renegade mage, and that there were two blood mages among them.

Whispering the command word of her new ring, Elena simply vanished with none the wiser of her presence in their midst, save for the sorcerer who had noticed the Templar's intrusion but was much more concerned with the state of two of his companions.

* * *

><p>Carefully stepping upon the back of another corpse, Kallian could not help but feel a mixture of fear and morbid curiosity at this hellish place. There were more and more of the pale skinned corpses, each of these dead elves had all shown signs of having been violently slain. One of the most disturbing aspects of the dead though was that their eyes still looked "fresh", as if they had died a few moments ago.<p>

She caught sight of one particular corpse which belonged to that of a darkly beautiful woman with white hair. An expression of reverence was etched upon the woman's face her body was split open from crotch to throat. Kallian could not help but look into this woman's eyes which were sky blue in color.

Kallian suddenly found herself in the middle of a space, the interior of a building to be sure made from a dark stone. There was blood everywhere as the bleeding corpses of elves lay strewn about. Most notably within the room was a massive statue depicting a fierce-looking god which held a flaming sword in one hand while the other dripped with blood. In front of this deity, she saw a figure smeared head to toe in blood, as if it had literally bathed in it.

When she saw the eyes of this gore stained warrior she immediately recognized that it was Khorieus. He held his axe in both hands and she thought that she could see a faint aura of fire around him. The elven woman, the one whose corpse she seen, whispered something in disbelief before bringing up a pair of cruel looking dagger and charged towards Khorieus with the blades held in a reverse grip.

The elven woman who attacked Khorieus was incredibly fast, yet so was the High Elf. Kallian saw Khorieus moving faster than she had ever seen him move, he perfectly blocked, dodged and parried the elf woman's daggers before managing to get behind her dance of attacks and counter-attacks and the bottom of his axe's haft struck her chin. The elf woman reeled back from the attack and it gave Khorieus the opening he needed to swing his axe blade upwards between the elf woman's legs and up to her collarbone.

Taking a step back, Kallian found herself back on the isle of corpses, she looked away from the blue eyed elf and she accidentally made contact with the obsidian eyes of another dead elf. Kallian suddenly found herself in the middle of a battlefield where several elves in cruel looking armour were fighting against several humans in brightly colored uniforms. Among the humans, she saw a flag depicting a comet with two tails of fire, under the comet was a scroll with letters forming words "_Für Reich und Ehre_" was embroidered under it.

The humans were fighting a desperate battle against these dark armoured elves, she saw the face of the elf with obsidian eyes, his spear dug into the shield of a human knight wearing black armor with golden symbols depicting the sun. A sudden loud roar echoed across the din of battle and the obsidian eyed elf saw Khorieus riding on the back of horse, the elf turned to face the warrior but it was too late and the next thing Kallian knew, she saw the dark armoured elf toppling to the ground with his head falling separately from the body.

Kallian then began to realize that the bodies of this island, all of them were those slain by Khorieus. As she looked around, more visions and images came into her mind, she saw another of those cruel looking elves, a female warrior who was barely covered by any piece of clothing was struggling for life as Khorieus slowly crushed her neck underneath his boot. She heard the loud crack of bone as the elf woman's neck snapped from the pressure.

She saw the last moments of another of these dark warriors, a male knight who wore a skull-like mask was desperately trying to parry the furious assault of Khorieus, in the end, the skull masked warrior's head was split in half as the High Elf's axe struck him in the face. She saw another warrior desperately aiming a crossbow at Khorieus who rode upon a strange wagon-like vehicle which was being pulled by two massive white lions. The crossbowman never got to make the shot as the spinning spike on the wheel of the wagon severed his legs and before Khorieus hurled a spear at the warrior.

Hundreds upon hundreds of deaths played upon Kallian's mind, she saw Khorieus in various stages of his life. She saw a younger Khorieus who seemingly looked to be her age; he was clad in shining armour with a helmet of polished silver, he rode upon a magnificent white steed which was barded in armor and she saw him slash a sword down upon the head of black cloaked elf wielding a crossbow in one hand and a sword in the other. In another scene, she saw him plunging a lance into the head of a large reptilian creature with another of the dark armored elves riding upon it, the beast collapsed with its rider who became pinned under the weight of his steed, she saw Khorieus dismount from his horse and walk towards the dark rider with a sword and grim look with murder in his eyes.

Sometimes, Kallian saw Yransair and Illenya among these scenes of war, but there were others she did not know. One was a grey cloaked figure who was constantly wreathed in shadows, wherever the figure went, the bodies of the dark armored elves fell, withered as if eons had passed in seconds. This deadly shadow carried a scythe which blazed with purple fire or was wreathed in living shadows.

She also saw an image of an _Asur_ woman with a lustrous mane of bright bronze hair and eyes of shining gold, the woman wore armor with some heavy draconic features and she rode upon the back of a fearsome creature which she quickly recognized as an actual dragon. And then there was the image of another _Asur_ woman who wielded a halberd which blazed with fire, her golden armor was somewhat like Yransair's and she saw the insignia of a bird with wings of fire. These two Asur women fought alongside Khorieus, Yransair, Illenya and the Shadow on countless battlefields, across snow, sand, forest and plains.

She then saw an image of a battlefield where several silver armored elves were fighting against more of the dark ones. Among the lines of the ones which must surely be the _Asur_, she saw Khorieus accompanied by a different _Asur_ woman who wielded a spear and shield. She saw Khorieus glancing towards the woman and smiling the woman and in return, she smiled back towards him, it was a smile which reminded Kallian of the way her father would look at her mother.

There were more images of Khorieus and this other woman; they fought side by side on countless battles. Most of these battles they fought on foot, their teamwork rivaled that of what she had seen when she saw Khorieus and Illenya fighting against the darkspawn. There were also battles where they rode upon the wagon pulled by lions, in all these battles, Kallian could see the close bond between these two.

And then Kallian saw an image of Khorieus with a berserk fury upon his face. She saw the grief, hate and anger in his eyes as he roared a wordless war cry, there were many equally angry-looking _Asur_ wearing white and red uniforms who crashed into a line of dark armored elves. Spears, swords and axes found their way into flesh and bone as the _Asur_fought with suicidal reckless abandon, they cared not for their losses and indeed, many seemed to welcome death, in the end of this battle, she saw only a few still _Asur_ still standing, among them was Khorieus who cried out to the heavens with such sorrow and anger.

Kallian began to feel her sanity fray as she began to see more scenes of slaughter which followed. She saw countless more battles and murders being played out with necks being snapped, bodies being hacked apart, throats being slit, arrows finding their way into the flesh or the eyes of a target and spears plunging into hearts. Kallian realized that she caught glimpses of the world from which Khorieus and his kin came from, a world where there was only war and death.

As she saw this all and in more than a few of them, she noted feral look of absolute joy in the face of Khorieus. He reveled in each death, each kill seemed to invigorate and encourage him to greater heights of slaughter, a madness of bloodlust possessed him, borne of grief and hate which could only be calmed with blood. More of these scenes passed and Kallian began to hear the sounds of screaming, roaring, laughter and the sound of steel clashing against steel.

She saw the ghostly figure beckoning her once more in the distance and she was compelled to follow it further into this place of death.

* * *

><p>Hearing the pained scream of another of his men, Rutger frantically looked around to see what it was that was killing his men. He had heard from the other mercenary company, the Red Storms that they had met a mounted silverite armored woman who moved with an unnatural speed and whose very image disappeared in a blur. He did not believe at first but now though, he thought otherwise.<p>

They had set their Mabari to chase this figure and for a time it seemed that the dogs were successful in tracking their assailant. The Mabari chased their attacker and those of his men who carried bows or crossbows were able to track the movements of their foe and then the strangest of things happened. Their loyal hounds just suddenly stopped, they sat down as if listening to something before bounding away from the men.

Those were loyal war dogs! He thought, many of them had been trained since they were pups to be the most blood thirsty beasts in Thedas, even his own wolf had just run off. Now without the hounds and the darkness of the night obscuring their vision, the men were almost literally as blind as a bat. Another man began to make a gurgling sound and Rutger saw that the poor bastard was clutching his neck, he did not need to see the light to know that the man's throat had been cut.

'All right! We are pulling out!' commanded the mercenary leader and the men obeyed him. Their retreat quickly turned into a desperate run of every man for himself, from the corner of his eye, Rutger saw men brief flashes of movement in the darkness before more men died. He then noticed an orange glow in the behind him and he glanced back to see a fire beginning to rage.

Cursing under his breath, the torch they had lit for their arrows which were soaked with pitch was now quickly spreading fire across the tall grass. The illumination from the flames gave the mercenaries some much-needed light and caught a glimpse of their attacker. He saw one of his men jerk forwards as a spear burst through his chest, behind the fatally wounded man, Rutger saw the tall silverite armored woman the Red Storms spoke off. The woman pulled her spear out from the chest of the man who collapsed and she fixed a baleful gaze upon him.

Rutger instinctively knew that he could not run away, he had lived his life learning well the laws of nature and the relation between predator and prey. For some animals like the hare, only a burrow or someplace underground would save it from the hawk, without it, the hare was doomed. This woman was unnaturally fast and it was quite clear that she could better then they all could in darkness, his men were like hares running away from a hawk which simply killed and moved on to the next.

Dropping his bow and pulling out his daggers, Rutger knew that he had only once chance at this. He called to his men to stand and fight but found that they had continued to keep on running. Bastards! He thought with hate.

'Come on then!' he shouted while moving into a defensive stance, he would need to use every dirty trick he knew if he was going to survive this fight. The woman gave him a cold and disdainful look which further angered the mercenary, she was looking down at him in the way a noble tart would at a beggar. As if he was some unworthy mongrel, barely worth even noticing, well he would show her what he did with uptight ladies who thought that they were better than him.

Before he knew it, the woman was already running towards him with an incredible speed, her image seemed to blur and he could not see where her spear was. Was she going to stab him in the gut? Perhaps the neck? One of his eye or the heart? He could tell for he could not even see the woman. Seeing the briefest glint of metal within the blurring, he crossed his daggers in time to catch the spearhead which nearly embedded into his throat.

The mercenary noticed too late that his opponent was wielding the spear with one hand while the other held on to an elven dagger which was going for his stomach. He felt a sharp pain as the blade sunk all the way to the hilt into his gut, he felt the dagger tear its way across his stomach from one end to the other, his internal organs were cut by the blade. Beginning to feel cold as his strength ebbed away from him, he expected to be finished off but found no such quick end.

He laid there upon the grass, his blood draining away as the fires he had inadvertently started began to draw closer. Amidst the raging inferno, he heard the screams of his remaining men and he learned what it meant to be prey. They had thought themselves the hunters but instead, they met a predator far more dangerous than they possibly were.

* * *

><p>'We have to get the camp moving!' cried out Theron towards his clan as they began scrambling towards the Halla. The white stags were being given harnesses while herded towards the front of the <em>aravels<em>, he saw Illenya's white steed neighing loudly before running off into where the fire was spreading. Although the flames were far away, it would not take long for the dry grass to provide further fuel to it.

With admirable precision, his clan members were already getting the _aravels_ ready to move out, it was a good thing that they only unpacked a few things for they had not been planning to stay in the area. Holding on the reins of two of the Halla, he brought the noble creatures to the front of his own aravel and he began to hitch them to the vehicle. As soon as he was sure that the Halla were secured, he quickly climbed to the top of the driver's seat and he began to steer them towards the northwest along with the rest of the clan.

Among the _aravels_, he saw the Keeper standing watch on one of the landships, her hands misted with arcane ice in anticipation of the flames. Sighing in relief, as his clan retreated from the fires; he quickly remembered that Merril, Kallian, Solona and Yransair had borrowed his _aravel_. Looking around to see if anyone could take the reins for him, he found that people were too busy watching for the fires or standing guard.

Well whatever was the case, he was sure that they would be fine and that he could check on them later. As the caravan kept on moving, Theron found himself thinking of that human woman he had met earlier, he was going to have to keep a hand near his sword tonight.

* * *

><p>The endless field of the dead finally gave way to something different. Kallian found herself stepping upon the bodies of green-skinned monsters with red eyes. Some were large and muscular with sharp tusks jutting out from their lower lips; others were small, wiry looking things with long pointy noses. In each of them, Kallian saw the last scenes of their lives play out.<p>

She saw a fearsome leader clad in heavy plate armor with skin that was such a dark shade of green that it was almost black; it smashed two massive axes together in a shower of sparks. There was snow around the monster; it was winter in the midst of a frozen forest. Standing before it was Khorieus who was accompanied by a party of fur coated human warriors, many of them having rather impressive mustaches. One of the human warriors whose entire body was protected by a strange, foreign design of armor which bore a twin wings upon his back which rose high up

The greenskinned monster bellowed and charged towards Khorieus and the humans, it was accompanied by several other greenskins which were only slightly smaller but just as fearsome looking. In response, Khorieus shouted in a foreign language '_Ni shagu nazad Kossars! Ura!'_

His words gave courage to the human warriors who shouted in unison _'Za Rodinu! Za Tsarina! Ura!_' Weapons were raised high with the High Elf leading them into the fray. The greenskins continued to bellow their warcries of '_Waaagh_!' while the humans defiantly roared back '_Ura_!'

A bloody battle was fought as the High Elf and the fur coated humans crashed against the greenskins. Skulls were split, flesh was torn and bones were shattered as a both groups fought. The greenskin leader seemed to think that Khorieus was in charge of this band and many warriors both human and greenskin made space between them. The High Elf proved simply too fast and too skilled for the greenskin which fought with reckless abandon, with contemptuous ease, Khorieus severed its arms one by one before decapitating the monster.

Another scene showed another of the greenskins, a small monster which had once worn black robes while carrying a crude mage's staff was fearfully staring at a strange weapon Khorieus carried in one hand. It looked somewhat like a smaller crossbow but instead of a bow upon the stock, there was a hollow metal tube. The creature seemed to know what this weapon was and Kallian saw Khorieus pull the trigger of the weapon, a tongue of fire and smoke came out of the metal tube and the monster's head exploded in a shower of gore.

The sights of these monsters dying were much less disturbing towards Kallian. She was not sure if it was because she really did not care for the things or if she was simply growing desensitized to seeing all of this death. She supposed that if what Khorieus told her about his own world was true, then she guessed that to get by, you would eventually have to stop caring about the things you kill.

For what seemed like an eternity, Kallian passed over the bodies of the greenskins until eventually, they gave way to some hideous rat monsters of varying sizes. Just as with the greenskins, she saw the countless ways in which Khorieus had slain their kind, some of which she didn't even think was possible. She eventually also passed over the bodies of other monsters such as giant lizards, obese looking brutes which looked almost as big as that horned darkspawn they had encountered, white furred monsters which radiated an aura of cold and so many other things.

She then saw the bodies of humans but strangely enough, most of the bodies looked liked they had been dead for while already. Many showed signs of rot and decay but others looked to be absolutely ancient. One body which stood out was that of a little girl who looked no older than ten years of age, Kallian stopped for a moment and was momentarily stunned to see the body of a child.

At a closer look at the dead girl's body, she noticed that the little girl's teeth were unusually sharp with long bloody fangs jutting out from top jaw. Next to dead girl was a charred corpse of indeterminate gender with sharp fangs as well. There were some other pale skinned dead humans with longs fangs as well, most of them had the look of nobles about them, there was something about these seemingly human creatures which made Kallian think that they were just as monstrous as the greenskins or the rat things.

Across the distance, Kallian saw something rising up like the trees of a forest or the mountains. She saw strange lights among them and faint screams. Compelled to move ever onwards by the ghost, Kallian began to feel something very old and very terrible nearby.

* * *

><p>Riding down the hill upon, Darius and the war party of Templars and Mages galloped towards the retreating caravan of elves. He had no idea on what had started the fire but it was spreading too closely to the camp and the elves had quickly just packed up and left rather than trying to put it out. It mattered little anyway for Elena had returned a little earlier, bearing news of the presence of two blood mages.<p>

She mentioned nothing about the silverite armored stranger but regardless, it was their duty to apprehend Maleficars wherever they may be found. It had been a long time since he had felt something as glorious as this, to be part of a cavalry charge against a foe, to feel the earth tremble beneath dozens if not hundreds of hooves. The mages who were accompanying them had cast spells of rejuvenation upon both horses and Men; he felt the weariness of the earlier days ride ebb away.

Their plan was simple really, force the elves to surrender the Blood Mages or all would be put to the sword. A sudden bright ball of light shot out from the staff of one of the mages, it cast a radiant whiteness across the plains as if it were a miniature sun. Their armor gleamed and shined under this magic light he could clearly see the elven caravan as if it were day.

There was a good chance the elves would try to shoot them on sight though, if that happened then they would show the pagan heathens the error of following their false gods over the Maker.

* * *

><p>Seeing as the fires burned in the distance, upon the fields not far from where the elven camp was, Cormack ordered his men to move out. Something told him that something went wrong; the plan was to set fire to the elven wagons, not the fields. He trusted well enough the skill of Rutger and his men to not botch the whole thing.<p>

Hounds barked and howled as they struggled against the leashes around their necks. His men, along with the Red Storms of whom were cantering upon horseback and two of the adventurers were making their way around the flames. A thought came to him, could those two other adventurers have figured out what Rutger and his men were going to do? Did a fight happen between them?

Whatever the case, now was not the time to start fighting each other yet, not when the bounty was so close. When the fighting starts, he would need to make sure that his men did not take the brunt of the fighting because once the elves and the chevalier had been dealt with, they would dispose of the remaining Red Storms and the adventurers. It was all a matter of luck now, time to see which way the dice rolls.

* * *

><p>Where once Kallian had seen bodies with symmetry and order to their forms, now she laid eyes upon beings whose features defied reason. Unlike the previous bodies which were grimly laid out to form a vast open field, these ones were piled high, forming mountains and hills. The bodies mostly seemed human… or creatures which may have once been human.<p>

First she passed by a relatively small number of corpses which surely must have been dwarves yet she saw small tusks growing out of their mouths. Unlike the dead elves she had seen, these slain dwarves seemed to radiate pure evil and indeed when she saw their last moments, there was no doubt that they had been black hearted fiends like the dark armored elves. Although there were not many of these tusked dwarves, each one seemed like a fierce and mighty foe.

Stepping over the bearded faces, Kallian found herself looking up to the impossibly high mountains of the dead which towered over her. On one side, she saw several burly, bearded men with fair hair colors of blondes or reds which were woven with braids. Many of them sported tattoos, scars or brands which depicted a wheel with eight arrows sticking out of the sides.

Most disturbingly though was that many of these dead humans sported deformities or features which were just unnatural. One of the dead bearded men had an arm which was covered in a chitinous shell like that of a crab yet it ended in a long fingerless club of hardened material. Another dead man stared at her with eyes which constantly shifted colors, six other eyes placed upon his forehead were also staring at her, each one have small sharp-looking teeth instead of eyelashes.

In these men, she saw their last moments; they were warriors, barbarians hell-bent on slaughter, rape, and plunder. She often heard them speak four names, names which hurt her ears to hear and names she felt a deep sense of dread to even just think about. One name was chanted as warriors offered blood and skulls to its throne, another was a debased thing spoken in reverence by those fueled by drugs and desire, a third name was spoken by men whose bodies were filled with buboes, pustules and pestilence and the last was a name honored by dark mystics and witches.

It was not only the bodies of men she had found as her travels carried the City Elf onwards. There were many corpses which were a hideous union of human and animal flesh, fur covered bodies of brutish things which seemed similar to those of the rat monsters or the lizard things. She heard the same; four names from these fur coated monstrosities and she saw visions of them in league with the barbarians.

Many of the ugly furry monsters were goat headed things, some had extra limbs or reptilian scales as well, but for the most part, their features were those of goats. There were also others with features like cats, dogs, deer, horses, and other animals she knew off. Some even had feather or leathery wings of birds or bats while others looked almost like humans with horns and animal legs.

Unlike the dead barbarians of whom she had seen were mostly male, Kallian saw more than a few of the furry beasts having grotesquely feminine features. One particular beast was that of a wolf woman with too many breasts, in the wolf woman's last moments, Kallian saw the monster leaping towards Khorieus with a pair of crude knives. She saw Khorieus turn around to face the wolf woman, his blazing axe swept towards the monster and the before the she-wolf knew what was going on, her head had been horizontally split in half from jaw.

There were other female beast monsters Kallian had seen, a number of whom were either trying to fight back or flee from Khorieus with young clutched in their arms. One of the furry monsters, a golden furred cat woman was fleeing from the High Elf with a grotesque looking goat-cat thing in its arms. A frozen arrow took the cat woman in the back of the knee, the cat woman tried to crawl away in vain before a blazing axe struck her back and splitting the cat woman and her young in twain.

Among the deaths of the barbarians and the beast things, Kallian saw that in each of them, there was a an especially sadistic pleasure in the eyes of Khorieus. She saw him take great satisfaction with each one he killed, he did not hesitate to butcher the weak, the lame, the old and the young. All felt the bite of his axe, the knife or an arrow; it was as if with there was something about these creatures, which drove him to such to commit such atrocious acts.

'Glorious, is it not?' came a sudden deep and masculine voice behind Kallian who suddenly turned back to see the ghostly figure which had been compelling her to follow it. Standing before her was a knight clad in shining armor, his gauntlets rested upon the pommel of a sword with the tip of the blade was embedded into the forehead of a dead man with horns growing out of his forehead. 'A monument to courage, skill and strength and there are so many like it' said the ghostly knight as it studied the mountains of the dead.

'Who are you?' asked Kallian who suddenly began to feel more aware of her nakedness.

'I am what you mortals call a Spirit' replied the ghostly knight as he glanced towards her, the knights eyes which blazed with unnatural light were intently focused upon her own eyes 'you may call me Valor, mortal and I have come searching for you'.

'Searching for me?' asked Kallian with curiosity and wariness for she had heard that Spirits were supposed to be more benevolent than Demons.

'Not just you, mortal but those around you and those others who are chosen' continued Valor as he remained stationary. 'There is something which you travel with mortal, something of great interest to my fellow Spirits.' Was it Solona she thought or the two mages among the Dalish? Or perhaps the _Asur_?

'The insolent mage you travel with is already know to me' Valor suddenly said with a measure of disdain as if knowing her thoughts. Pulling its sword up with a squelch of meat, the Spirit then said 'my reason for meeting you, mortal is to prepare you and the others for that which comes'.

Compelled once more to follow the spirit, Kallian could not resist and her feet carried her over more of the dead. After passing more of the mounds, she saw before her, a forest of long spears which jutted from a solid ground of blackened stone with fiery veins pulsing underneath. Kallian felt the intense heat yet, her feet did not burn from it. What could the Spirit mean she thought? What was coming?

'In all of my existence, I have never seen such a thing' said Valor as they drew closer to the forest of spears as tall as the _Vhenadhal_ tree back in the Alienage. Upon the top of the spears, Kallian saw more bodies of monstrous things which were still very much alive. They writhed, moaned, roared and screamed in pure agony. A wave of dread washed over Kallian, she saw the things above continue to move, the spears which had them pinned were at a closer look, embedded with blood-red runes which seemed somewhat similar to the arcane script upon the axe of Khorieus or the Greatsword of Yransair.

Some of the monsters were lanky, red skinned fiends which roared and thrashed against the spears which impaled them, others were androgynous, pale skinned beings with crab claws for hands. Then there were bloated one eyed, horned monsters whose bodies dripped with pus and buboes, strangest of all though were a variety of multi-colored things which no discernible shapes. There were even other things of such maddening proportions and descriptions which Kallian could not even fathom their purpose.

'A war is coming mortal' came the voice of Valor as they continued to walk underneath the forest of the impaled 'a conflict which will be waged not only for your world but many others as well'.

'What conflict? What are you talking about' Asked Kallian in abject horror as she walked under a crab clawed monster which seemed both rather handsome but repulsive at once. A long serpentine tongue lashed out from its mouth as it reached to her and whispered dark promises.

'They cannot win! At all costs mortal, the darkness cannot succeed!' continued Valor who seemed to not have even heard her. Kallian was about to ask again but soon her gaze were drawn to what was ahead of the, a great inferno which blazed but it was what was within the flames which caught her attention.

'It is fortunate that we have new allies, mortal' said Valor as he looked up to the being in flames with a respectful tone.

Seated upon a burning throne of brass and iron, there she saw a giant whose flesh was dark red with bright burning veins running across its body. Its eyes were endless pits of fire and carnage; it wore a fearsome helmet which was conical in shape with ornaments on the side which were like horns. Its left hand dripped with blood which surely could not be its own while in the other hand, it held a massive burning sword with runes which seemed to writhe.

'Know that we will be watching mortal' came the voice of Valor once more 'Spirits and Demons from the Fade and beyond have cast their eyes upon your world'.

The burning giant then looked to Kallian and instead of feeling terror at its presence; she began to feel a sense of courage, anger and bloodlust. Once more, Kallian saw all the images of the death once more, she saw the man who had sought to molest her when she was but a child, instead of stabbing him in the neck, Kallian saw herself gut the man with an elegant sword before tearing out his own still beating heart and sinking her teeth into it.

She saw the two men who had beaten Erion to death; she saw their heads explode like overripe fruit as she smashed their skulls with maces which looked like bloodied fists. Kallian saw herself clad in armor of crimson iron, she carried dread weapons forged upon the crucible of war and tempered in blood. No enemy whether it be man, elf, dwarf, demon or darkspawn would be able to stand up to her, all who challenged her would die.

The Burning Giant then rose from its throne; it strode towards them with fire left in its wake and blood dripping from its hand. The giant seemed to shrink in size as it drew closer to both her and Valor, she found that she could not move, but whether it was because she would not or will not was unknown and irrelevant to her. By the time the giant was upon her, it stood at least seven feet tall, the giant then rose its bloody hand to her, palms slowly reaching for her forehead, its fingers looked it ended in bloodied claws.

Kallian felt the giant's hand upon her skull, its blood poured all over her face as an intense burning heat seared her flesh. The giant then spoke in a deep and regal voice, its language was similar to tone of Eltharin but there was a cruel edge to it. She remembered that it was a tongue spoken by the dark armored elves.

For a moment, Kallian saw behind the giant, two ghostly figures appear. The first was the singing boy she had seen, he was accompanied by an ethereal _Asur_ woman she immediately recognized as the one with the shield and spear. They both spoke to her in a sad, melodious tone; their words were unknown to Kallian until finally the Asur woman said.

'Let not the shadow of the Bloody Handed One control you, child' the _Asur_ woman quietly said in warning, her ethereal voice was filled with a mixture of sadness and regret 'follow not the path my beloved does for already, he nears the precipice of damnation…'

Kallian wanted to ask what the ghost meant but she could not speak as the giant held her head in its grip. She heard her name being spoken again and again until finally she felt a sharp sting of pain upon her face…

* * *

><p>Slapping the back of her hand upon the face of the now really pale elf, Solona repeated Kallian's name before finally she tried something more forceful. The elf awoke with a sharp gasp as she suddenly fell back from her seated position, it amused the mage a little of whom was just feeling exhausted from the spell. Smiling softly, Solona reached for one of the two bottles she had placed beside her before the starting the spell, she picked up the blue-bottle of a lyrium potion and she began to remove the stopper.<p>

'Unh, so what happened?' groaned Kallian as she looked around the interior of the _aravel_ in a confused daze.

'It was successful' sighed Merril who looked even more exhausted than Solona did. Glancing down at Khorieus who looked better now, the warrior's bare upper body was covered in sweat. Having him there lying down like that was more than a bit… distracting to Solona for she had also been rather enjoying the sparring session earlier between the two High Elves.

There was a relieved sigh from Kallian who then asked as she began to prop herself up upon her elbows 'so how long was I out?'

'A few minutes, not long really' shrugged Solona as she took a swig of the bottle. For once, she was glad to be wrong about dire consequences if someone lapsed with their concentration. She would have to perform spells of healing once they were done, just to be sure that no one was suffering from anything internal.

'Wait, are we moving?' asked Kallian as she finally noticed creaking of the aravel's wheels.

'We are, yes' answered Solona as she began to feel refreshed 'I am not sure what happened but Theron is driving at the front now'. Looking towards Yransair looked just as tired as she was; the High Elf was grimly looking towards the back of the _aravel_. 'Is something wrong?' asked the Mage a bit worriedly as she knew that serious look on his face.

'We were being watched' Yransair said with a whisper as one hand was already tightly held around the hilt of his longsword 'during the blood spell; someone concealed by magic was watching us.'

'And you said nothing about this?' questioned Kallian.

'I was occupied in ensuring that you did not perish of blood-loss, child' replied the Asur with a note of annoyance.

'Right, sorry so what do we do?' Kallian then said.

There was a sudden flash of light from the outside and Solona heard gasps of surprise from the elves and even the Halla cried out. Looking behind her, she could see the light outside the canvas of cloth which shaded the landship's interior.

'We… prepare…' came the ragged voice of Khorieus whose eyes slowly opened and he spoke 'get my armor…'

* * *

><p>Calling upon the magic of <em>Avaldoir<em>, Illenya hurled the spear at the last of the humans. The ancestral weapon of the House of Naharynath flew straight and true as a comet across the sky. The human glanced back in time to see the blazing weapon strike his spine, a cry of agony and pain came from the man before he fell to the grassy earth.

Looking back to see the blazing inferno, to her surprise, she saw Asfalrhan galloping towards her. Calling to the noble steeds whose ancestors had carried many of her own upon their backs; the horse shifted its direction towards her. In the distance, she heard the thunder of more hooves and the barking of hounds.

Instinctively knowing that there would be more humans on the way, the Harbinger swiftly mounted the back of her horse who did not even have a saddle. It mattered little to her for like many of Ellyrion's sons and daughters; riding without a saddle upon a bareback horse was a common practice. In the darkness, she saw several of the enemy riders drawing closer and she recognized them as of being the mercenaries from earlier.

'Back to the camp' whispered Illenya towards her steed as she recalled her spear. Asfalrhan carried the Harbinger northwards, they circumvented the spreading fires and were passed it well before the humans were. Along the way, the Ellyrian noted that there were now also several on foot human mercenaries who were making their way towards the camp.

In the sky above, Illenya saw a bright ball of light race upwards to the sky before exploding into a miniature sun. A white light illuminated the fields as if it were day, and she could clearly see the caravan moving in the distance. Asfalrhan whinnied with alarm and Illenya looked to see what her steed had seen and her heart sank at the sight of it.

A second and much larger group of horse riders clad in shining armour were heading towards the series of now moving Dalish wagons. Seeing the dull sheen of human forged steel, the Harbinger knew that this could only mean more enemies. Hissing a curse, she began riding back towards the kinband of elves.

* * *

><p>Hiding within a landship which contained several chests and barrels full of weapons, armor and a portable smithy, Luthias and Marrien knew that things were not going as they had planned. When one of the elves had unexpectedly shouted something about seeing someone in the distance, they saw the elves mobilize to meet this possible threat. They had snuck in during the confusion, searching among the wagons for the Chevalier, then there was the shout about a spread fire on the field.<p>

Orders were being called out to move the camp and the elves were quick to start gathering the Halla and the horses. Not wishing to risk discovery, the two adventurers had been forced to hide inside the landship which likely belonged to the clan's blacksmith and they had been their ever since. There was another landship behind the one they were inside and to leave now would expose them to the risk of being caught.

They still wanted to do this with as little bloodshed as possible, all they needed was the Chevalier dead and that would be the end of it, no one else needed to die. The tense monotony of their travel within the landship began to fray at their nerves for they knew that the elves would likely think of them as either thieves or trespassers. They kept thinking that they would be caught but fortunately, no one had come inside to check the armory.

Looking to the Orlesian who was crouched behind a sealed barrel, Luthias thought that now would be a good time as any, for there was a good chance that they might die tonight. Might as well get it out of the way he thought.

'Marrien' he whispered and the Bard looked to him with a cautious look. 'I just wanted to say-' he said before a sudden bright light could be seen from underneath the cloth canvas which covered the top of the landship. It was suddenly as if it were day! He thought with surprise, it must be some sort of magic for it had just been night a few seconds ago.

'Maker's Breath what is that?' the bard whispered for she was as surprised as he was.

'I don't know…' muttered Luthias a bit uneasily. 'I just wanted to say' he continued, picking up where he had left off, he began to feel more than a bit bashful and hesitant to say what he wanted to, the severity of their situation though gave him a sense of courage 'That if we get out of here alive, I would like to… uh… take you out for a drink… just the two of us…'

The bard's eyes widened with surprise and he knew from her expression that she instantly figured out exactly where this was going. 'This is hardly the time for this Luthias!' she quickly whispered before pausing for silence for a moment 'I would love to go out with you, **when** we get out of this.'

Suddenly hearing the sound of hooves racing near the wagon, they heard a woman's voice shouting words of alarm of a second group of riders coming. Surprised at this, Luthias wondered if there was another mercenary company out there, hunting for the Chevalier. Cautiously looking to the woman had been a good friend a close companion for many years, he saw her give him a reassuring smile and he found that he could not resist giving her one as well.

* * *

><p>Feeling a wave of arcane energy as Solona cast the spell of rejuvenation upon him, Yransair felt somewhat refreshed after spending the entire day casting spells of healing. The power of the Lumen Stones within his wargear was depleted and it would take time for it recharge, at the least though, he still had his True Sapphires and the Endstones which he carried within his traveling satchel. Reaching into one of the small pouches he kept tied to his belt, he removed a small vial containing an elixir of his own brewing.<p>

The Loremaster saw Khorieus already putting on his armour with Kallian's help for they had heard Illenya's warning. Removing the stopper and drinking the elixir which was made from a variety of exotic Lustrian ingredients, he felt a slight burning sensation within his throat as the brew infused him with arcane vigor. Closing his eyes and whispering a word of power, he switched to Spiritsight to see how many they would be facing.

He saw the bright spiritfires of Khorieus with Solona and Merril near him, oddly, he then noticed something odd with Kallian's. He did not have time to study it though for there was still the matter of the oncoming riders. The Loremaster soon viewed the world from the sky above, he saw the presence of one group of riders to the east and there was a large group on foot behind them with a mage in their company.

There was a third group on the other hand which was more worrying, for he saw a rather sizable warband bearing the emblems of the Templars. He could also see multiple mounted mages among the Templars, more than a few of their spiritfires were shining like the beacons of a lighthouse. Many of the Templars had wargear which was woven with powerful magic.

His gaze then swept back to the caravan and as he was about to switch to his mortal sight, he noted two spiritfires within one of the _aravels_. Upon a closer inspection, he noticed that there were two humans equipped with gear which had its own potent enchantments. It seemed that they had some more unexpected guests this night Yransair thought as his hand tightly gripped the hilt of Tempest Fang.

The odds did not look to be well in their favor he thought grimly for even with the Dalish elves to aid them, they were highly outnumbered. An idea came into his mind as he he thought of the Endstone within his possession, fishing through his satchel, he removed the three amethyst coloured stones which were connected by a delicate silver chain.

Those who hunted them created an artificial sun to light the way, well its looks like he would have to make one of his own...


	13. Sarathai

All across the playing field, the Crone watched with interest as the great dramas unfolded, such mighty champions they all were, to face such odds, unafraid of the death which always followed their lives. Even in this place, so far from home, they would fight with the fury of daemon-kind. Some fought with vengeance and hate in their hearts, some fought for new-found love and friendships, while others fought for the sake of mere survival or bloodshed alone.

The Wolf of Winter howled in honour of the Lord of Battle as the Dark Rose prepared for the grim harvest ahead. The Scion of Mists strode forth with a glittering sword in hand as the Faceless Lord knocked an arrow, his deadly aim would be found true this day. The Saint of Damnation defiantly roared a prayer to the Hammer King, the Saint's heart was filled with righteous fury as the Silver Sage stood by the Saint; both were an island of purity amidst a sea of filth and darkness.

The Red Gryphon rode across a bloody plain with fire and sword in hand, a proud song dedicated to the falcons of north was sung by the Gryphon's companions. The Black Guardian carried out his sacred duty against the dead that did not rest in an oath-bound silence as his sword blazed with the power of death itself. The Shadow-Blessed danced within the darkness, a glittering prize which had been "liberated" from its previous owner was held in hand.

The Children of Rebirth sounded the call of the Wild Hunt, their distant kin raised their voices in anger and vengeance as the prey they sought fled, a vain and useless attempt on the part of the hunted. With steel in their hearts, the Stone Lords fought as valiantly as they always have done, their mighty weapons gleamed with the ancient words of their Ancestors. There was even at least one of the small-folk among the Crone's pieces, one whose size belied the courage which would rival that of the mightiest of champions.

The Raven who now took the form of one its mightiest servants, watched its own pieces with interest for like those of the Crones, they too had their parts to play. It may have once worried the Crone to notice that the Raven's pieces greatly outnumbered her own, but once the number had remained at ninety-nine, the Crone knew that this was a good sign. Ninety nine pieces were at the Crone's disposal, ninety-nine mighty heroes from different races and nations.

Yet, there were pieces whose fates were uncertain and not in control of both the Crone and Raven. The Fallen Serpent for example was cornered by those who sought power in blood; for the Serpent's own held power they would never know. There was the Bronze Lioness whose destiny had transcended even death itself now stood before many a mighty foe, her ivory mask betraying no emotions as ancients blades were wreathed in light and darkness.

Then there were also the fates of those who were not meant to be in this place, those whose fates were altered by the trickery of the Raven. The Crone had intended for the Little Hawk whose wings were now dust and bone to play a role in this epic, but instead, a different Hawk who clung to wings of gold and fire now stood defiant against the Neverborn. Standing alongside the Golden Hawk was one of the Moonchildren whose prayers were anathema to the Neverborn.

Would those pieces in particular whose fates were tainted by the shadow of the _Kreekar-gan_ stand with the Crone's pieces? Or would they stand, unwittingly or not with the Raven's? Or perhaps more darkly, would they follow the designs of the Undying One?

The choices of these pieces were of great interest to both the Crone and the Raven for some like the Red Dragon and the Forsaken King were an army unto themselves. It was both foreboding and exhilarating for once, not to know what would truly happen. To see fates whose ends had once been ordained were now uncertain in this place, it had given the game an interesting twist.

With a grin of anticipation, both the Crone and Raven watched as these dramas played out, each one a single act in the greater play.

* * *

><p><strong>ACT V: ENDE UND ANFANG<strong>

* * *

><p>Drinking down the contents of a leather drinking skin and feeling the tepid waters wash over his parched throat; Khorieus still felt somewhat weak from his recovery. Now nearly garbed in his full panoply of war, he was eager to finding something to kill this night, a shame that it would not be the archer who had shot him. He had been informed that at the least, Illenya and Kallian had seen to his attacker and it was consolation enough for him.<p>

He really should keep his armour on more, thought the High Elf. This was not the first time he had been unexpectedly attacked when his guard was down. There was that one time during his travels across _Elthin Arvan_ when he had been attacked by a Skaven Assassin while bathing, and then there was also that one rather embarrassing, recent incident at the Grismerie which had almost been the death of him. Quietly scolding himself for not taking the necessary precautions which could have saved them all from a lot of trouble, he had to admit that he had underestimated what the people of this world were capable of.

Looking to Kallian who had looked rather pale a few moments earlier, he saw the colour of her flesh turning back to its normal hue as Solona worked spells of healing upon her. Kallian gave him a slight smile of relief, yet there was also something rather off about her, something which he could not quite put his finger on. Regardless, now was not the time for such as they had a battle to fight.

'What is your plan _Oranos-Kalaan_?' asked Khorieus towards Yransair in the common language.

'It mainly involves killing everything that is planning on attacking us' shrugged the Loremaster who showed the Chracian a trio of Endstones connected by a delicate wire of silver. Khorieus could feel the entropic essence of the Wind of _Shyish_ within each of the stones. 'They created a magic sun to light the way for them' Yransair then said 'I plan to make one of my own.'

Quickly deducing which spell Yransair was planning on casting, Khorieus approved of the Loremaster's choice. The problem now would be to get their pursuers close enough for all them to be caught by the deathly magic, perhaps they could use the horses they had recently acquired? It seemed like a sound idea he thought for the steeds would give them the speed they would need.

'You're going to fight them all!?' asked Kallian with surprise for their last run-in with the Templars had not been a pleasant one for her.

'It is most likely the Templars have found us using Solona's Phylactery' answered the Loremaster, which caused the human mage to look uncomfortably at Yransair. 'I intend to destroy it' he then said with grim finality, his tone made it cleared that he would not be swayed from his decision.

Khorieus of course would stand with the Loremaster and he knew that Illenya would do the same. Slowly getting back up to his feet, the Chracian then looked to Kallian and asked her to gather his quiver. Acquiescing to his request, Kallian went to the northern end of the _aravel_ and she retrieved the leather container and showed it Khorieus, he saw that the quiver which was now half full.

'I have need of more arrows' spoke the High Elf.

'I am sure you can fetch some from Master Ilen's _aravel_' chimed in the Dalish mage Merrill who still looked exhausted from whatever spell she and Solona had worked to heal him. Khorieus nodded but heard a polite cough from Yransair who looked like he had something to say.

'About that' he spoke a bit uneasily 'we have two… unexpected guests hiding within the Craftsman's _aravel_'

'What!?' exclaimed Solona with surprise, Khorieus noted the similar looks upon Kallian's and Merrill's face as well. 'You didn't tell us about there being intruders among us!?' continued the human mage.

'Hey what's going on back there!?' came the curious voice of Theron who was still driving the _aravel_.

'We have intruders in Master Ilen's _aravel!_' responded Merrill, another loud "What!?" could then be heard from Theron.

'I had only just discovered it a short while after your recovery' explained the Loremaster calmly 'we will of course, have to deal with this immediate threat before we proceed with facing the rest of our pursuers.'

'Agreed' Khorieus then said 'let us deal with these unexpected guests first.'

* * *

><p>Riding at full gallop passed the blazing inferno and on towards the elven caravan which was as visible as day, Morgan knew with a bit of wariness that magic was at work here. He saw the way the bright star rose up into the sky and judging by its position, it could not possibly have come from the elves. Looking to the direction of where the star had come, he saw several armored riders shining in the distance, Templars he realized.<p>

Perhaps they could ride towards the Templars and offer their assistance? There may be a good chance that the Chantry would offer them a bit of a bonus for assisting their warriors. Quickly deciding on what must be done, the Mercenary Captain began shouting orders to his men and informing them about his plan. The men obeyed with one of them, a lad named Hubert being ordered to ride back towards Black Hounds and inform the foot slogging ruffians of the Templars and their presence.

Altering their course to meet with the Templars, the remaining Red Storms thundered across the brightened fields. In less than half an hour, they soon came almost within crossbow range of the Templars while the elven caravan still remained a good deal further in the distance. Wishing to avoid any unnecessary conflict, Morgan rode towards the Templars with his men maintaining their distance while still pursuing the elves.

As the mercenary captain drew closer to the Templar battle group, he saw a single rider break away and move towards him. As soon as the armoured rider whose face was concealed by the helmets used by their Order. Morgan then began to hear a muffled voice shout towards him

'Turn back now!' the Templar said in an authoritative manner 'This is official Chantry business!'

'We are here for the bounty!' responded Morgan who pointed towards the elven caravan 'the Chevalier from Denerim is there!'

'Are you sure!?' came the muffled voice of the Templar whose eyes widened in surprise.

'I am positive!' replied the Mercenary Captain.

'I will be right back then' the Templar simply said before riding back to his brethren.

Watching as the Templar rejoined the ranks of his fellows, the Mercenary Captain did not have to wait long before the Templar rode back with another one who also wore a face concealing helmet. The other Templar's armor was also similar if a bit more battle-worn; the only real indicator of any difference though was that the second Templar carried a burgundy sword of dragonbone which glowed with an arcane light.

'You mercenaries are free to join us!' came the voice of the second Templar 'we welcome every sword which assists in doing the Maker's work!'

'The Red Storms will be honored then!' saluted Morgan as he now began trying to figure out with getting the Black Hounds out of the way, he honestly detested working with such murderous scum and would be glad to be rid of them.

* * *

><p>Hopping off of the back of Theron's <em>aravel <em>with full armour now on, Khorieus had his axe and bow tied to his back while he had a pair of Dalish short swords sheathed around his sides while Yransair was ahead of him with Tempestfang resting over the Sapherian's right shoulder. The two _Asur_ had their weapons drawn for it was highly unlikely that whoever had stowed away within the Craftsman's _aravel_ was surely anything but friendly. Quickly running towards the _aravel_ which contained the, Khorieus and Yransair discussed their plan of action for the immediate threat.

'It is most likely you that they are after' said the Loremaster in Eltharin as they allowed another _aravel_ ahead of them to pass before moving on 'no doubt that if you go in, our unexpected guests may strike.'

'Am I to be the bait then?' asked Khorieus, knowing full well what the answer would be.

'It is not as if you are walking into a trap' Yransair replied 'you already know that there will be an ambush and the element of surprise will be in your hands now.'

'And I trust that you shall have a spell readied?' questioned Khorieus.

'Of course, you do have your rings on, don't you?' grinned Yransair as he glanced back to the Chracian who understood what spell the Loremaster was planning to cast. It was not exactly a tactic which Khorieus would approve of, but it should work… well theoretically it should.

As they made their way to the Craftsman's _aravel_, Khorieus quickly called to the Dalish smith Ilen and announced his need for arrows, he made sure to make his voice loud and clear while doing his best in imitating (rather poorly) a Bretonnian accent. As silly as it may have sounded, he want the intruders to know that he was coming. Khorieus briefly saw the smith stick his head out to look at the High Elf with an incredulous look before giving the Chracian permission to board.

For a moment, he wondered if he should inform the Craftsman about their unexpected guests but quickly decided against it for the element of surprise was the only advantage they would have without knowing what these foes were capable of. Taking a deep breath to ready himself for the coming fight, he reached for the back of the wagon and climbed over the edge. As his boots landed upon the floorboards, he quickly scanned the _aravel's_ interior which was filled with crates and barrels stacked up with spaces in between to hide and move.

Taking a cautious step forwards he made as much sound as he could while moving towards an open topped barrel with the feathered shafts of several arrows sticking out from the top. His heart began to beat a bit more loudly as his hands slowly reached for the short blades, sweat beaded upon his forehead as everything suddenly seemed to slow down, he could smell the mild odor of a bodies which had been unwashed for days. He realized also that his own size would make fighting inside a problem on its own.

In that last moment, he heard a footstep upon the floorboard to his right, he saw a human man clad in a green cloak and leather armour leap out from behind a stack of crates with a glowing dagger in hand, to his left, he saw a human female wielding a pair of _Dar'Misaan_ swords come out from behind a barrel. Leaping back, barely in time to avoid the blades of one of the swords and the dagger thrust, Khorieus managed to keep his balance as he coldly glared at the two human while pulling the short swords out from their sheaths.

* * *

><p>'I have no quarrels with you' came the deep baritone and cold voice of the "silverite" armored warrior who carried a battle axe upon his back. Luthias instantly noticed the lack of an accent which had sounded fake earlier, but more noticeably, he noted that the "Chevalier" was not even an Orlesian, nor was he even human.<p>

Their target, of whom they had been searching for from Denerim looked to be an unusually tall and broad elf with icy blue eyes which seemed rather piercing. His armor was nothing like Luthias had ever seen, even the material which looked somewhat like silverite was something which was clearly different.

'But we have one with you!' replied Marien with equal coldness as she quickly settled into an aggressive stance. Luthias had been surprised that the "Chevalier" had managed to so quickly evade their strikes despite wearing all that armor. It was already clear that they were not facing an ordinary opponent.

'And what is it that the two of you seek then? The bounty?' spoke their opponent as he stood still, his voice and stance betraying no sign of what he was planning.

'We are not here for the bounty, murderer!' Luthias then said with venom in his voice as the weeks of anger which had built up within him was ready to burst 'weeks ago; you had killed the son of the Arl of Denerim and dozens of the city's defenders, among them was a close friend of ours!'

'I give neither apology nor excuse for what had happened replied the "Chevalier" without any sign of regret or remorse. 'That debased animal, Vaughn had ruined a wedding which had been happening within the Alienage and was party to kidnapping' continued their target with a spiteful tone as he mentioned the name of the Arl's late son 'he sought to violate them afterwards and I did what I had to do to prevent those I have come to care for from coming to harm.'

Taken aback by this, Luthias had heard about that from one of the elf servants of their former leader's now grieving widow. The elves in Denerim had been gossiping about how the Arl's son kidnapped a group of elf women from Denerim's alienage during a wedding that was taking place on the same day and later how it was the "Silverite Knight" who had saved the abducted maidens. Luthias and his party had at first, dismissed it as of being a mere coincidence and that perhaps the "Chevalier" had his own reasons.

Beginning to feel a bit conflicted over the matter, Luthias had to remind himself that their target was a mass murderer. In Denerim there were now dozens of grieving widows, children who would not grow up without a father and families who had lost a brother or a son in the "Silverite Knight's" rampage. Yet if what the Chevalier said is true, then he would not have meant for the massacre to happen, could it be that he was simply trying to right a wrong which just got out of hand?

In the past, when Leonhard had still led their party, they had done their fair share of lawbreaking to do what was right. They had once put a Tevinter nobleman to the sword for his secret engagement in slavery and the trafficking of both humans and elves, as a consequence for that, they had been branded as outlaws by the Tevinter Imperium. There was also that time when they had once even assisted an escaped Mage in fleeing from the Templars of whom did not wish to be made Tranquil.

They had owed the Mage of whom was a good and honorable man, a debt which could only be repaid by their assistance and the mage had sworn to them that he would live far away and not bother anyone with his magic. It was fortunate that the whole business with the escaped Mage ended without the Chantry knowing full well the details of their involvement.

Their world was so full of injustices, Leonhard had always said that if they could strive to make the world a better place, even if it were just a little bit, then he could die without regrets and indeed, Luthias liked to think that they did help make the world a little better for some. Was this "Chevalier" simply someone who had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time?

As these thoughts coursed through the mind of Luthias, he did not notice the way Marien had subtly shifted her aggressive stance. Before he knew it, the Orlesian Bard charged the "Chevalier" with a roar filled with anguish and rage; her swords gleamed brightly as she deftly flowed between the crates and barrels. Quickly following his old companion a few steps behind her, he saw the "Chevalier" bring up his daggers barely in time to block Marien's swords.

The enchanted Veridium swords which Marien wielded were highly superior compared to what the "Chevalier" used to defend himself and her weapons sliced through the centers of the twin _Dar'misus_ and the upper part of the two elf daggers fell off. Her swords quickly descended upon the Chevalier with a strength born from rage which was fueled by a pent up grief. Suddenly feeling a strange tingling in the air, like a charge, he did not have time to notice until it was too late, a bolt of lightning suddenly flew from behind the "Chevalier" and towards Marien.

In less than a blink of an eye, before the Bard's swords even connected with the "Chevalier's" armour, Marien was instantly knocked off of her feet. The bolt of lightning then jumped towards Luthias who was immediately struck by it, waves of searing agony exploded within him as electricity coursed through his body.

Dropping to his knees as wisps of smoke rose up form his body, the enchantments placed upon his amulet was the only thing which prevented him from being killed outright. Luthias did not notice the way this mysterious foe reversed the grip of his broken blades. The adventurer named Luthias Aller, a man who had spent many years going on various quests over the years and trying doing what was right despite the consequences was in the end, slain as two broken daggers plunged into the sides of his neck.

* * *

><p>Twisting the broken blades as they were still lodged into the human's neck, Khorieus allowed the body to collapse upon the floor boards. Not having the time to search for anything useful on the human, the Chracian whose rings shone brightly in defense of their wearer for the bolt of chain lightning had struck him as well. Glancing over his shoulder to see Yransair climbing onto the back of the aravel, he saw that the Loremaster's hands sparked with arcane lightning as an afterglow of blue light faded from his eyes.<p>

'A fine cast' commented Khorieus in Eltharin as he drew his hunting knife and moved towards where the other human had landed.

'And you did an excellent job in stalling them' replied Yransair with approval 'it certainly went better than that time with the Athartians in _Athel Tamarha_.'

'Must you bring that up again?' Khorieus asked with exasperation as the Loremaster mentioned that one particular event in the past when they had been rooting out a _Cytharai_ cult in Yvresse, specifically, it was a cult dedicated to Atharti, the dark goddess of pleasure.

When they had come to apprehend the cultists, they discovered that the Athartians had been partaking in some rather illegal narcotics from Lustria which could cause rather vivid hallucinations. Sufficed to say both of them as well as a few others had ended up fighting the cultists while accidentally inhaling a copious amount of the hallucinogenic smoke. The Chracian was not sure whether the events which followed that raid was more awkward than what had recently occurred at the Grismerie.

Moving towards the body of the other human who had attacked him, Khorieus found his would-be ambusher struggling to get back up as she had knocked over a surprisingly sturdy stack of crates. The human woman's leather armour was blackened where Yransair's lightning bolt had struck, her swords were nowhere to be found but that did not mean the human could still be dangerous. Cautiously moving towards the human with his knife now held in a reverse grip, he soon came to where the human lay prone and he knelt down to see her face.

Carefully placing his left hand over the human woman's right shoulder and readying himself for an attack. Carefully rolling the woman over to her back, she swiftly swung a concealed knife at his neck. Having been readied for this possibility, Khorieus quickly brought his right arm up in time to catch the knife blade on the section of his gauntlet which protected the wrist.

Fortunately for him, the knife proved to be un-enchanted and the blade merely scratched against the surface of the _Ithilmar_ plate which shined with runic light. Bringing his gauntleted fist down to smack the human's face, Khorieus felt the satisfying impact of metal against flesh, with his left hand, he twisted the woman's arm and disarmed her. The human grunted in pain but did not lose consciousness, she snarled a harsh insult to him in the language the people of this world called Orlsian which sounded surprisingly similar to Breton.

'Do it then!' hissed the human in Orlesian with defiance, Khorieus had to admit that he admired this woman's spirit in the face of death 'finish this!'

'We could have avoided this' replied Khorieus in Breton without any show of emotion in his tone 'it did not have to end this way.'

'You killed someone I had loved!' hissed the woman with spite as anger and rage filled her eyes.

'I did what I had to' was all Khorieus said as he looked into the woman's eyes and he repeated 'I give neither apology nor excuse for what had happened.'

Without a second thought, Khorieus slit the throat of the human woman who had attacked him. Her eyes widened for a moment before they were filled with rage as she looked to him, blood gushing out from the wound and her lips. Taking a deep breath as he allowed the human to expire, Khorieus then looked to Yransair whose hands crackled with lightning, it was clear that the Loremaster had seen and heard the whole thing and knewd that the Chracian needed little assistance but was read to join at a moments notice.

'I did what I had to do' Khorieus said quietly in Eltharin with a tired sigh.

'We do what we must' nodded the Loremaster with an empathic nod 'it is how we live with the consequences of our actions which becomes the hard part.'

Shaking his head, Khorieus slowly got back up to his feet and he began searching for the weapons of their deceased ambushers. He may not have time to strip them of their armour but at the least, he could acquire their weapons for their companions. It was going to be a long night he thought.

* * *

><p>Riding towards the back of the <em>aravel<em> which belonged to the kinband's smith, Illenya felt the sudden surge of _Azyr_ within the vehicle. When she arrived behind the vehicle, she saw with much relief in her heart, Khorieus emerging from the wagon with Yransair behind him. She quickly noted the quivers of arrows which they carried, the two swords which were sheathed beside Khorieus and more surprisingly the fresh blood on the Chracian's armour, she could see that at the least, it did not belong to him.

'Whose blood is that?' asked the Harbinger in _Eltharin_ towards her _Senthanos_ who quickly made way for the aravel behind the smith's before they ran up to her

'We had some unexpected guests which have been properly dealt with I can assure you' answered Yransair. 'Would you be so kind as to acquire two horses for us?' asked the Loremaster and Illenya already knew that the Sapherian had something planned out.

'They are being kept at the rear of the caravan, I shall meet you all there' Illenya then said for that was where the horses were being kept, her two companions then nodded and she went off.

Making her way towards the back of the caravan she called to the Dalish driver who was piloting the _aravel_ where the horses were tethered to, each of the steeds were galloping after the wagon. A quick word was passed between them and at the back of the _aravel_ another of the Dalish elves within the _aravel,_ cut the tethers of two of the horses while another threw off a pair of saddles and harnesses. One of them even tossed out the barding and saddle for Asfalrhan.

As the two horses which had been freed, began to slow their pace Illenya began to make a whistling sound from her lips which quickly caught the attentions of the two horses. Dismounting from Asfalrhan, she went towards the two steeds and began to gently pat the sides of their necks. Hearing soft footsteps to her side, the Harbinger looked to see Khorieus and Yransair standing there with a grim looks on their faces.

No words were needed to be said as they went for the saddles of the horses. Working as quickly as they could, it only took them less than a minute to fully garb the steeds in their riding gear, it was a shame that they did not have the time to place any barding upon the mounts. Looking back to see the mounted warband draw closer, Illenya swiftly re-mounted Asfalrhan and she brought out _Lecaihain _which blazed with blue fire.

Looking to her _Senthanos_, she saw Khorieus bring out his own bow which began to mist with arcane rime. Yransair on the other hand held on to his greatsword, Tempestfang which eagerly sparked with lightning. Reaching for a polished, ivory hunting horn which hung on right side of her waist, Illenya placed her lips to the narrow end of the device and she blew a long note.

The horn of the Wild Hunt had been sounded, although she may not have been riding in the company of her House's Reaver Knights, the Harbinger felt that there were no others of whom she would prefer to have at her side. Blowing the horn once more, Khorieus and Yransair raised their voices in praise to the _Cadai_, to the Phoenix King and to Ulthuan.

Before they would ride off into battle there was one last thing they needed to do…

* * *

><p>'Do you hear that?' worriedly asked Kallian towards Solona as she felt so much better now thanks to the mage's healing spells, yet she still could not quite shake off that strange feeling she had ever since she had awakened.<p>

It was as if she had a terrible dream which we she had wanted to awaken from but at the same time, she wanted to remember it. All she could recall though was the blood, the fire, and the burning giant whose gore stained latched onto her face. There was also something else she remembered, a warning, of what though she knew not.

'I think that's a horn' the human mage replied as she strained her ears to listen.

'That's not one of ours' spoke Merrill tiredly; the Dalish Mage who still looked exhausted despite the potions and whatever restorative spells they had cast afterwards.

'It must belong to the _Asur_ then' guessed Solona as she tightly clenched the hilt of her sword. Ever since the mention of the Templars and this phylactery thing, the mage seemed rather jittery and nervous.

From outside of the _aravel_, they could hear the hooves of the _halla_ as they continued to drag the other landships which occasionally creaked. From time to time, the voices of the Dalish elves would call out, asking about the progress of their pursuers. Fortunately, it seemed that from what Kallian could hear, the Templars were still a fair distance away.

'Kallian!' came the loud voice of Khorieus who called to her and the City Elf felt relief that the High Elf was fine. Another call came and it was the voice of Yransair who called to Solona, getting up and moving to the back of the _aravel _along with Solona, Kallian saw both High Elves riding upon the backs of horses while Illenya rode ahead, no doubt to speak to Theron.

'We will shortly be leaving to face the Templars' Khorieus announced to them with a grim look upon his face 'we will do what we can to end this pursuit but we know not if we will succeed.'

Immediately worried at his words, Kallian felt conflicted over whether she should be helping the High Elves in this. On one hand, she still felt that she owed Khorieus one and that she could not simply sit idly by while they fight so she and the others could escape the pursuit of the Templars. And yet Kallian still felt fear for there must surely be a large number of Templar's if the Dalish clan decided to keep on running.

'I shall come with you all then!' Came the voice of Solona who did her best while trying to sound confident and brave but Kallian could detect that small piece of fear and doubt in the mage's tone. 'This battle is mine as well' continued the mage as she looked to the _Asur_ 'I am certain that it is me they hunt for they still have my phylactery.'

'As you wish child, we shall be glad to have your spells and sword with us' spoke Yransair as he bobbed up and down on the horse's back, Kallian could have sworn that she detected a hint of resignation in his voice.

'Then count me in as well!' Kallian announced as she was emboldened by Solona's words.

'You need not take part in this, Kallian' Khorieus said with determination 'it is Solona, myself and most likely Yransair and Illenya as well of whom they are after.'

Maker's Breath this was going to be the argument in Denerim all over again Kallian thought. Although a part of her was relieved that Khorieus did not expect her and indeed, not wish for her to take part in this suicidal attack, it stung at her pride that she would not be there. After all that had happened between them with the Arl's home, the escape from the Denerim and their run-ins with the Darkspawn, it felt like she wasn't seeing this to the end.

Yransair then brought his horse close to the aravel and he called for Solona to jump. A brief look of uncertainty passed the human mage who simply squared her shoulders and she went towards the back end of the _aravel_. The High Elf warrior-mage began to slow his steed down and Solona hopped off of the aravel, she quickly got out of the way for the aravel behind Theron's and Kallian saw the human mount the back of the horse as well.

Looking to Khorieus again, Kallian dearly wanted to argue the point but she knew what the High Elf would say. She still had her father, her husband and her family waiting for her back in the Alienage, she could not throw her life away if she did not need to. Biting the bottom of her lip as indecision ate at her, she began to feel furious and frustrated at this difficult choice.

Kallian heard Illenya call to Khorieus and Yransair in their native language, the two High Elves replied to her in the same language and the ice-blue eyed warrior gave her one last look which was both sad yet solemn.

'Farewell Kallian Tabris' bid Khorieus with gravitas 'may you live a long, happy life, may your gods protect you.'

Before she could say a word, he quickly turned his horse around as Illenya passed them by. The High Elves and Solona rode off to the back of the caravan and towards where the Templars were coming. She saw Khorieus give her once last look before disappearing behind the _aravels_.

Suddenly at a loss for words, Kallian felt her legs becoming shaky and she just sat down upon the floorboard of the _aravel_ in stunned silence.

'Kallian?' came the voice of the Dalish Mage, the City Elf then looked to Merrill who was giving her a look of empathy.

The City Elf's reverie was suddenly broken as the _aravel _instantly swerved to the side. The momentum of the unexpected movement caused Kallian to lose her balance and she fell to the floor with her head nearly hitting the side of a wooden wall. She heard Merrill shout something in the Dalish tongue towards Theron and the huntsman quickly shouted something back.

Kallian quickly noticed that the _aravel_ was slowing down and soon it came to a halt. As she got up, she could see the other _aravel_'s moving along and she could heard footsteps upon grass outside. Theron quickly appeared at the back of the _aravel_ with a look which was both angered and hurt.

The Dalish hunter quickly climbed into the back of the aravel and he went towards the section where he kept his own equipment.

'Where are you going?' asked Merrill with confusion.

'Repaying a debt' answered Theron with a determined growl as he picked up his bow and a full quiver of arrows before tying a sword to his belt. The Dalish Hunter squared his shoulders and he strode towards back towards the rear of the _aravel_. He then gave Kallian a look as well, as if he were expecting her to join him, he simply nodded and went off into the brightened night.

Looking out to the back of the aravel where she could see the top of Theron's head moving to where the _Asur _were going, she had no idea what Illenya said to the Dalish Hunter it was clear that he was going to join the High Elves.

'Maker's Breath….' Whispered Kallian as she finally decided on what she had to do and damn the consequences.

* * *

><p>Holding the reins of the horse with his right hand while holding onto Tempestfang with his left, Yransair Stormwing felt Solona's firm grip around his armoured waist as she still held on to a Darkspawn staff in her own right hand. Although the Loremaster was not pleased at her presence being here, he could not fault the necessity of having the human with them. The three Endstones which he carried in his possession were placed around his right wrist; the solidified essences of magic glowed with a gloaming energy as he slowly siphoned the trapped Wind of <em>Shyish<em> from it while doing the same with the True Sapphires socketed into his armour and greatsword.

'We need to catch their attention and divert them away from the Dalish!' shouted Illenya in the common tongue as the Shadow Magic within her armour began to generate a mass field of visual distortion. In the eye's of the _Asur_ and to Solona, they would appear normally but to their foes, they would appear as moving blurs.

'I can cast Lightning!' quickly came the voice of Solona, as they were still out of bow range from the Templars.

'Do it! Then spread out and harass them!' commanded the Harbinger and soon Yransair began to hear his erstwhile ward begin to whisper words of power and he felt the power of the Fade gather around Solona.

The darkspawn staff the human mage carried began to crackle with electricity around the top and Solona raised it high to allow a visible bolt of lightning to surge out and the horse they rode upon whinnied with surprise while Yransair tried to calm it. He never did like horse-riding, he honestly preferred to ride upon the backs of a Great Eagle, a Swiftfeather Roc or a Gryphon.

The human mage then began to cast once more and from her staff, a burst of flame spat out. As they drew closer to the Templar warband, Yransair began to weave a defensive barrier to protect both himself and Solona. Seeing the mass charge of heavy cavalry was rather daunting to the Loremaster and when he saw them turning their steeds in their direction, he wished he had a regiment of Dragon Princes behind him.

Looking to Khorieus and Illenya who brought up their bows with arrows knocked, they unleashed a pair of arrows as soon as they were within the effective range of their bows. One arrow made from the purifying fires of Averlorn while the other was made from the coldest of ice from the Wind of _Ghyran_. An armoured knight fell as a frozen arrow struck the human in visor while one of their mages caught on fire as a burning projectile ignited the unfortunate mage's robes.

A wisp of magic light which began to float around Solona whose staff crackled with lightning once more and the mage unleashed a bolt of lightning which struck an armoured man who was garbed in the same way as those mercenaries they had encountered earlier. Crossbow bolts, arrows and elemental spells flew were launched towards them with a vengeance.

The volley of physical projectiles flew passed them but the arcane ones struck with greater accuracy. A ball of flame exploded upon the aethyric barrier which Yransair created while a bolt of lightning struck Khorieus who still managed to remain on his horse as the magic rings the Chracian wore glowed with protection. The Harbinger's own cloak and the barding of her steed began to glimmer with a defensive rune script as a bolt of white fire struck the Ellyrian and her horse.

'Use your magic to defend us' commanded Yransair towards Solona who acquiesced to his command as she began to summon a defensive barrier to protect them.

Swiftly drawing more power from the Endstones, Yransair cast out the soul of the Templar he had trapped weeks earlier, he honestly even forgotten all about it. Hardly caring on whether the Templar soul would somehow return to his body or end up as a wraith, he began to drain power from the Endstones at a dangerous rate. From his previous experiences in facing these knights, he knew that they could be rather resilient towards spells and magic, he needed something big and powerful which would constantly strike upon a target.

Shouting words of power in _annoqeyan_, Yransair began to feel the strong buildup of the Amethyst Wind. More spells and physical projectiles were hurled at them, he noticed the horse of Khorieus begin to flounder in steps but the Loremaster could not pay any heed to the Chracian as he focused on his spell. Another ball of fire struck the Spell Shield of Solona and it dissipated into a puff of smoke, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck them and for a moment, Yransair saw that the barrier began to flicker.

Just a little more he thought as he chanted and drew more of the Death Wind into himself, the Endstones began to crack and crumble as the magic which kept them together unraveled for the Lore Master needed all of their power. A bolt of fire struck them once more and at the corner of his eye, he saw the ground beneath Khorieus burst into fire, causing the horse the Chracian rode upon to scream in agony. Doing his best to maintain his concentration, Yransair finally shouted the last syllables of his spell.

Releasing his hold on the reins, Yransair held out his right hand which blazed with amethyst fire. The entropic flames flowed up into an orb of light between his palm, a miniature star of pure death. With a last roar of fury, he hurled the orb of deathly light at the Templars, it swiftly began to expand in size until it became a small sun, a Purple Sun of Xereus to be precise.

Looking to where Khorieus was, the Loremaster saw his old comrade leap off from the back of the horse as the fires burned the poor animal which wailed in pain. The Chracian landed upon the grass earth with a roll and as soon as he got up, he fired an arrow at the horse he had rode upon, ending its pain before knocking new arrow and taking aim at the Templars. Hopefully, thought Yransair, they can take this battle on fight on foot.

* * *

><p>'Oh Maker's Breath!' shouted Morgan with surprise as he saw the expanding ball of purple magic light flying towards them. Quickly ordering his men to get away from this second magic sun, they drove their horses away from it but for many it was too late. Although he had seen magic in use before and had even survived fights against mages, the mercenary captain had never seen anything like this.<p>

In a blink of an eye, several of his remaining men as well as their steeds were suddenly transformed into crystalline statues. The momentum from their gallops caused several of them to crash into ground and shatter into thousands of shards. This was too much for the Mercenary Captain who had lost several men just this morning.

'Captain!' shouted the voice of one his men, a new fellow by the name of Rickard who had come from Redcliffe. Quickly looking back at the recruit, Morgan saw to his horror that Rickard fell to the grassy earth, the hind legs of his horse had petrified into a crystal as well. He wanted to look away, but Morgan was too late to turn his head aside as he watched their youngest member who had been showing a lot of promise, land on neck with a fatal crack of bone.

Well screw this he mentally shouted, first there was that mage with the lightning bolts, the dalish elves with their bows and arrows and now this horrid purple sun? Morgan swiftly ordered his men to retreat, the mercenary captain new that no amount of money was worth the loss of so many of his comrades, especially in such a short period of time. Swallowing his pride, he and the few remaining Red Storms rode off into the brightened night, away from these dread foes.

* * *

><p>'Cowardly bastards!' roared the voice of Captain Raonull as he looked to the fleeing mercenaries. Darius really was not surprised for while he respected the Red Storms and their reputation for professionalism and discipline, they still were sellswords.<p>

All around the Templars, things were chaotic as well. The Mages of the Fraternity of Loyalists had done their best to shield them from the affects of this magic purple sun which now ominously eclipsed the first magic sun, but it was not enough for all of them. Brothers and Sisters as well as the mages and their steeds cried out in surprise as some were suddenly petrified into crystalline statues as well while others were only partially so.

Those whose steeds were afflicted by the purple sun's magic, crashed into the ground, some of the armoured bodies fell apart as the Templars within had been petrified as well while other simply crashed at with both injuries and fatalities occurring. Darius himself felt the cold touch of this unknown magic, it was as if an unnatural chill reached into his very soul and threatened to tear it out.

Gritting his teeth beneath his helmet and mentally concentrating as much as he could, his blessed armor barely managed to protect him from the entropic assault of the purple sun. Kicking his horse into a gallop, tried to get away from the sun but his horse began to whinny in panic. His instincts suddenly began to tell him to get off and indeed, the old Templar leapt off from the back of his horse.

His vision spun as he crashed into the earth in a loud clatter of metal plates. Grunting in pain as he rolled about, he managed to get himself back up to see that his horse had partially crystallized as well. 'Maker's Breath!' He shouted, just what were they dealing with?

Still feeling the effects of the purple sun's magic, the first thing that came to his mind was to get away from it. Limping away as quickly as he could, he looked down to his waist and saw the that the bottles of the poultices and elixirs remained undamaged. Thankful for this small mercy, he removed one of the Health Poultices and quickly drank its contents.

Feeling a comforting warmth infuse him as the pain from the landing went away. As he moved further from the sun, he tried calling to his comrades while trying to rally them. As he looked about while calling them, he was stunned for a moment at the next sight which greeted him.

Standing alone upon the grassy field as the purple sun moved away from the first sun, Darius saw his nemesis, the "Silverite Knight" taking aim with bow and arrow upon one of his fellow Templars. The foul murderer who had been responsible for so much death and ruin in Denerim was here! Righteous anger filled his very being as he tightened his grip upon the blessed Dragonbone sword.

He may not have been ready the first time but now though, he was confident in his preparations. Removing another bottle tied to his waist, he drank down the contents of an alchemical elixir known as Swift Salve which would make him for faster. As the elixir went down his throat, he felt the mixture begin to infuse him with its power.

Reaching for his shield which was still placed upon his back, the Templar strode forth with unnatural speed, ready to mete out justice at last.

* * *

><p>Looking up to the sky which had once been brightly lit as if it were day, Kallian saw the clearly magical purple sun eclipse the white one. 'What is that?' she asked towards Theron Mahariel as he tightly held on to his bow and arrow.<p>

'I do not know Kallian' replied the Dalish Hunter in a hushed tone with a bit of wariness 'but look; it is causing havoc amongs the _shemlen_.'

Even from her position, Kallian could see the way a number of the Templars began to fall from their horses, quite a few it seemed that it was the horse which just crashed into the ground and throwing off their riders. She saw that some of the Templars did not even rise up from where they had fallen. A fair distance away from both herself and Theron, she saw Yransair struggling with his steed and the High Elf had been forced to dismount with a glowing Solona accompanying him, the horse they had rode upon galloped away in terror.

Kallian saw the High Elf warrior-mage become wreathed with a purple colored fire which seemed to blaze with a greater intensity. The High Elf began unleashing a veritable storm of purple lightning bolts at the Templars and their steeds, Solona was right beside him, casting spells of fire, lightning, stone and frost along with him.

Of Khorieus and Illenya though, the latter, Kallian definitely could not see for it was likely that the Asur woman was using whatever magic she had which made her appear as a blur. For the former though, Kallian desperately searched across the brightened plains but there were so many shining armored figures. Eventually though, her eyes quickly locked unto the silvery hue of Khorieus, she suddenly gasped in shock when the horse he had been riding caught up in flames.

'**Khorieus!**' she shouted in horror but was quickly relieved to see the warrior jump off the back of his horse. Oh thank the Maker she thought with gratitude, the irony of it though was not lost upon her, with the Templars dying and all.

'Don't give away our position!' hissed Theron as he drew an arrow and aimed at a Templar riding towards Solona and Yransair. She could hear the Dalish Hunter take a deep breath and a second later, he unleashed the shot which struck the Templar in the visor of his helmet and causing the human fall down.

'Sorry' said Kallian as she looked from away Theron before bringing up her crossbow. Aiming down the sight and pointing it at another of the Templars or more worryingly, their robed allies of whom were clearly mages, Kallian found shoot at a moving a target to be difficult.

Muttering a curse and knowing that she is going to feel bad about it, Kallian switched her sights from the humans to their horses which presented a wider target. Taking careful aim at another Templar who was busy trying to avoid the purple sun, Kallian remembered the archery lessons from Khorieus and she followed Theron's lead. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she pressed the trigger of the crossbow as she exhaled.

The recoil from the crossbow caused the weapon to jerk back and strike her upon the right shoulder which was fortunately protected by a leather pauldron. The shot she had fired flew straight and true, much to her displeasure and guilt though, it struck the Templar's horse in the neck. The steed whinnied pitifully in pain and indeed, Kallian found herself feeling bad about having to kill it, funny though that she did not feel the same for the Mabari which often tried to tear her throat out or the dozens of woodland critters Khorieus or the Dalish have hunted and eaten.

'Let's head for Yransair and the _sheml_- Solona, first' Theron said before going off to the two magicians, Kallian nodded and quickly followed the hunter as she tried to reload on the run.

* * *

><p>Firing a frozen arrow which caught robed mage in the neck, Khorieus watched in satisfaction as the magic barrier the sorcerer had been maintaining faltered. The surprised sounds of the Templars being protected by the barrier was soon followed by the impact as a few crystallized bodies of both humans and horses crashed into ground. With a slight grin, he could not help but reminisce upon his recent travels, the part which he especially remembered now were those in the company of a particular Battle Wizard Lady of the Empire who was a mistress in the Lore of Death.<p>

A little earlier, the ground beneath his horse had suddenly become slick with a greasy oil and the steed had begun to slip in its movements. He had noticed the way his rings glowed at the sudden appearance of the greasy pool and when a ball of flame flew towards him, his instincts had told him to bail out. He tried to get the horse to leap out from the pool of grease but found it impossible and in the end he had to save himself, a shame though for he always felt a little saddened whenever he lost a mount.

As he was about to draw another arrow, Khorieus quickly noted that there was one Templar armed with a sword and shield who was coming at him with an unnatural speed (at least by human standards). Quickly stowing away his bow and grabbing his axe, he spoke the command word for it to ignite. Flourishing his axe about in a dazzling pattern before settling with a defensive stance, the Chracian allowed this Templar to close in, he studied the human and seeing if he could gauge his foe's strength.

'Your blasphemy ends tonight murderer!' shouted the Templar as he drew closer to Khorieus who rolled his eyes for this was hardly the first time he had faced some religious fanatic. 'You will pay for all of the death you have caused in Denerim!' continued the Templar with zealous fervor 'Lay down your arms and submit to the Maker's Justice!'

'You Maker is nothing more than an excuse to justify conquest and slavery! _Mon'keigh._' responded Khorieus with contempt for he had learned more about these Templars and the so called Chantry after leaving Denerim.

He never understood why humans seemed to universally think that their own deities were the only one true faith and that everyone else should follow it. During his journeys across _Elthin Arvan_, he had met many close-minded human fanatics, on more than a few occasions, he or those he had travelled with had been forced to put those zealots down. One of his "companions" in particular had theorized that because humans lived such short lives, they take matters of death and the afterlife way too seriously.

'You spout sacrilege as well!' shouted the Templar in anger as he then roared 'you will pay for your transgressions! For the Chantry!'

The Templar charged towards Khorieus with a burgundy coloured sword which seemed familiar in one hand and shield in the other. Roaring Khaine's name, the High Elf ran towards this human, he intended to humble this man before sending him to his precious deity.


	14. Keldri

Death had come to the land of Ferelden. For many miles around the plains above the Bannorn, two artificial suns had lit up the night sky, each one casting a glow which purged the darkness. The first was white sun, its purpose was to merely be a source of illumination and its radiance was noted by the folk of distant towns and villages who had mistaken it for an oddly bright star.

Then there appeared the second sun which had eclipsed the former's brilliance. The second sun was seen to be more unnatural, a dark omen to those who had seen it and in many ways it was. The second sun now blazed with a bright amethyst light, its baleful rays warmed neither the air nor flesh, those who stood close to its dread gaze found only the cold inevitability of death itself.

Only one being beneath the sun's gaze had felt any semblance of warmth or comfort. A mournful dirge escaped the lips of the sun's creator, a dirge which was in truth, words of sorcerous power, a power borne of the ruinous realms where the great of evils awaited. The sun's might had swollen as it consumed the lives of both men and animal, the very energies of life itself had been consumed like dessert devouring drops of water.

Feeding upon the deaths caused by sun and infused with fresh, arcane vigor, Yransair Stormwing further sung spells of doom to those who had sought to hunt those close to him and those he had in a short time, come to care for. Weaving the Winds of _Azyr _and _Shyish_, Heaven and Death, the Loremaster of the White Tower of Hoeth was wreathed in a cloak of tempestuous fury and entropy. Sparks of Amethyst lightning crackled between his armoured fingertips and his eyes glowed brightly from its power as his lips continued to part and sing.

With a final word of his most recent spell, the Loremaster unleashed a bolt of chain-lightning which swiftly brought down three mounted men all at once. Their bodies, along with those of their steeds did not char or were burnt by the lightning, instead their flesh withered into a dry, crumbling substance as their bones dissolved into dust. Each death was a fresh wave of energy to be channeled as he also drew power from the True Sapphires placed into his armour.

Standing next to the High Elf from Saphery was the human mage, Solona Amell who was deeply focused with her own concentration. Infernos raged around the hands of the human as she shouted an arcane chant of purely destructive magic. Solona's voice joined with that of the _Asur_ in his sorcerous choir, the two of them had become a whirlwind of elemental fury.

The confusion and discord they had sown amongst the Templars had only been a temporary thing and the various surviving numbers of armed knights and the few remaining mages in their company were quick to reform and regroup. Already, the Loremaster felt the noticeable lessening in energy leeched by the Purple Sun of Xereus, the mages which had accompanied their foes had been quick to find a form of protection and counter to his spell.

Armoured knights rode towards them with weapons raised while others dismounted to engage them on foot. To the Loremaster, who had fought in countless battles over the course of more than half a millennium, situations such as this were not unfamiliar to him. The Sapherian had studied and practiced the way of both spell and the sword for centuries, his reflexes and skill would allow him to deflect arrows in midflight, slay mighty opponents in a single blow and even fell mounted cavalry as efficiently as a competent Cathayan _Zhanmadao _swordsman.

But for his companion on the other hand, a mere human child whose competence in magic would rival the skill of a Journeyman Wizard of the Empire, war and battle an unfamiliar danger. He had done his best in the time he had known Solona to teach her the ways of the sword and the physical training required to be a skilled warrior. Such training though should take years, even decades if he were teaching one of his own kind and yet, he only had mere weeks, a period of time which was even less than a heartbeat for a people as long lived as his.

Ever since his first battle against these Templars and the beginning of his association with Solona, he knew that this day would eventually come. Their last encounter with the Templars would have proven to be disastrous if the Loremaster had not been there but the following battles against the Darkspawn had given Yransair some hope. It was time to see if all that he had taught the human would be enough to save her life.

* * *

><p>Emotions warred within the heart of Solona Amell as she wove another spell of elemental destruction. The desire to run and flee was strong and her fear of the Templars and their allies had not lessened for more than a few of her own spells had struck with no effect. Yet at the same time, she felt a sense of catharsis and satisfaction when she the armored bodies fall from the volley of spells both she and Yransair unleashed.<p>

Years of pent-up resentment and frustration towards the Chantry had blazed into an inferno which reflected the flames which leapt out from her gloved hands. The bolt of fire flew towards the oncoming charge of the Templars, striking a horse in the chest and causing the unfortunate steed to collapse in the middle of full gallop and causing the Templar upon its back to be hurled off. Already, Solona felt weary both physically and mentally for she had yet to fully recover from the blood magic ritual to heal Khorieus, the effects of the many Lyrium Potions she had imbibed earlier had now left only a craving for more.

A desperate idea came into Solona's mind and she drew her rune inscribed sword from its sheath with her left hand. Slamming the bottom of the Darkspawn staff into the loamy earth and firmly planting it into the ground, the mage then placed the exposed flesh of her right hand fingers upon the edges of the sword and tightened her grip. Softly hissing as needles of pain coursed through her hand, Solona felt the blade bite into her flesh and blood welled up from the fresh wounds.

Arcane syllables were spoken by Solona as she began to draw power not from her internal reserves of Mana but from her own Blood. If those fools who had come for her at the sentry tower were any indication of what the Templars now thought of her, she was willing to oblige their belief in associating with a Blood Mage. In recent days, she had reflected and thought back about that previous encounter, if those fanatics were unwilling to allow her to even explain herself, then it would be pointless to attempt to dissuade them in the future and hostility was would be an inevitability.

The Solona's hands were wreathed in a corona of lightning, much like Yransair's and there was a noticeable increase in the power of electricity itself as her blood intensified its potency. Quickly plucking the Darkspawn staff from the ground, the mage swiftly pointed its foul head at their charging foes of whom were now quickly closing in; she could already see the grim eyes of the Templars underneath their helmets. A storm of lightning bolts lanced down from the heavens in bright flashes which caused the very earth to explode in showers of grit as the bodies of Templars and horses were charred into blackened husks.

The sheer power Solona felt at the moment was greater than anything she had known in all of her years of training within the Circle. A cruel smile was etched upon her lips as she began to cast another spell, each syllable was accompanied by the remembrance of every insult and slight she had patiently tolerated while under the watch of the Chantry's glorified attack dogs.

Another idea came into Solona's mind for if they could directly resist her spells, she simply had to find other ways to harm them. 'I will show you fools, true power' whispered the mage in quiet anger as the ground beneath her feet began to rumble and shake as droplets of blood struck the earth.

* * *

><p>Beneath his feet, Theron Mahariel felt the rumbling of many hooves as the Templars rode towards the Yransair and Solona at full gallop, their weapons and armour gleamed under the light of the amethyst sun which sent unnatural chills up his spine. The High Elf stood his ground as he hurled more and more arcs of lightning while the <em>shemlen<em> woman raised her staff to the sky while chanting a spell. Glancing towards Kallian Tabris of whom had accompanied him, the Dalish Hunter found the city-dweller's attention to be focused on the battle which Khorieus now fought.

From what Theron could tell, a Templar was now engaged in a duel with the High Elf and to his surprise, the human had actually survived past the initial clash of weapons and the subsequent struggle. Sure that the axe-wielding warrior could take care of himself, Theron was now more concerned about the two magicians for there was nothing he could do to get them away from the charge without being trampled himself. Watching in horror as the Templars drew nearer to the two with only a few meters separating them, he already had an arrow readied but knew that it would not be enough.

He saw Solona slam the bottom of her staff into the ground and the earth around both she and Yransair suddenly collapse. The surprised shouts of the Templars and their steeds rang out as the ground beneath them crumbled into a pit which all of those close to the two magicians fell into. A great cloud of dust and grit flew up; creating a mist of debris but the arcane glows of both Solona and Yransair illuminated them from behind the pall.

The mounted Templars who had been furthest away from them had managed to evade Solona's spell by circling around them at the last moment but a few of the unfortunate _shem _had been too late in steering their steeds away, causing a few more to fall. Those Templars who had evaded the two magicians were now trying to circle around them with one quite audibly shouting orders to the others.

Taking aim at the Templars, Theron sighted down upon a mounted knight wielding a great sword which glowed with magic light. Holding his breath while readying an arrow, the hunter was about to take the shot but was interrupted as he heard the voice of Kallian call to him in alarm and he glanced to her at first before looking to what she herself was looking at. His heart sank as he saw a group of Templars on foot and formed up into a tight combat formation were coming right at them.

With a quick click from the crossbow, Kallian launched a bolt at one of the Templars and the projectile struck an armored human in the left pauldron, her target was staggered by the shot and forced to its knees. Switching targets, Theron sighted down on a Templar wielding a silvery axe which sparked with lightning. The hunter fired an arrow towards the axe-wielding Templar and the armored human quickly raised its shield in time to block the projectile.

Muttering a curse, Theron swiftly drew another arrow and took aim at the human once more. If he could not make a kill shot, he would have to do with a more incapacitating one as he aimed at the Templar's foot. Thankful that the heavy armor of the knights would slow them down, Theron fired his shot and he saw the arrow punch through the plates of the Templar's booted foot, effectively both wounding and pinning the human.

Drawing another arrow, Theron kept his gaze on the pinned Templar who had made pained sounds underneath his helmet as he tried to removed the arrow the hunter had fired. Taking aim once more, Theron was not about to let this _shemlen_ survive another shot.

* * *

><p>Warily looking up to see the unnatural, purple sun in the sky, Cormack had noted the way his men had become unnerved by its sight and they began to hesitate with pushing forwards, even their hardened Mabari whined pitifully as they drew closer to it. From their distance, he saw several charging Templars and their steeds fall with more than a few not even rising up. The Mercenary Captain of the Black Hounds was instantly reconsidering with the idea of taking even one step closer to that obviously magical sun for there was something about it which made the hairs on the back of neck stand while a chill ran down his spine.<p>

He had absolutely no idea on what was going on with that magic sun and where it came from, his general rule when it came to dealing with witches and magic-users is to either kill them quick or avoid them at all coasts. Of course, some mages like the Tevinter ones actually paid well for the services of mercenaries like the Black Hounds but Cormack highly doubted that such was the case at the moment.

'What are you all standing around for!?' demanded the Ash Warrior who had stayed in their company, the heavily armored man seemed just about ready to begin going berserk while the Wilder Mage who accompanied him had staff which was now glowing around the top while giving them a stern look.

'You don't sodding order us around Ash Warrior!' snapped Cormack who was not afraid of the red beard man with a great sword, he could not say the same for the mage but several of the Black Hounds were quick give threatening looks and raising their weapons in preparation for a fight. 'We came here to look for the bounty on that Chevalier, not fight any damned mages!' Cormack added.

'I know much about providing protection against spells' interjected the Wilder woman and Cormack turned his eyes to her as she tightly held on to her staff.

'You can protect us from that thing?' the Mercenary Captain asked rather skeptically as he pointed a meaty finger at the purple sun.

'I believe so, yes' replied the Wilder in a confident manner which put Cormack somewhat at ease.

The Mercenary Captain then began to weigh his option as he decided on whether he should put his faith in the Wilder Witch or abort this hunt. Earlier, their Mabari led them to the bodies of Rutger and their trackers, of what had killed them though, there was no sign. Cormack knew full well of the skill and competence of the Ranger and the trackers in their company. It deeply worried him that something had killed them all without leaving a trace.

Shaking his head, he quickly decided that to pursue this hunt would only prove to be disastrous for there was more going on here than he had believed. Cormack had not survived this long without learning to trust his instincts when bad feeling like this came up. 'If you two have a death wish then go ahead and be my guest' said Cormack to the two adventurers.

'Are you dogs, cowards!?' responded the Ash Warrior with fury and mercenaries of the Black Hounds collectively bristled at his words.

'Normally I would outright kill any man who said that to me, but you lot aint worth it' spat Cormack with contempt as then raised up his right hand and began making hand signals to his men.

The Mercenary Captain gave one last glare to the Ash Warrior who looked ready to come at him but the Wilder Mage stopped him with quiet words and the red bearded man spat on the ground before turning towards the purple sun and the battle going on there. The Black Hounds obeyed their captain and they left, the Cormack could see the relief in their eyes as they went further away from that dread orb in the sky.

They were still out in the Bannorn he thought, lots of opportunities to be found, especially after the King's call to muster south in Ostagar, a lot of Banns could use the extra help in "protecting" themselves. Shaking his head, he wondered if he was making the right decision and hoped that they were not passing up the opportunity for a big reward. Better to be alive and still able to make a coin than to be rich and dead he thought.

* * *

><p>Roaring a catechism to the Maker and the Prophet Andraste, Darius swung his sword towards the "Chevalier" he had spent these last weeks hunting. The blessed sword of Sigismund felt surprisingly light in his grip and his body moved faster than he was normally used to. The effects of the Swift Salve as well as the enchantments on the equipment he had requisitioned were making him physically more capable than he was thirty years ago back in the prime of his life.<p>

Sigismund's Legacy crashed in another shower of sparks against the burning axe-head of his foe. Despite the strength and speed which now infused his body, Darius found that his opponent was still quite swift and strong as well, by his guess; they were now equal in both departments. At the beginning of the battle, the Templar had expected to face a skilled opponent but the fugitive he fought had a level of expertise and competence which was simply inhuman.

This fight had become one of the most dangerous battles in his life and unfortunately, he was presented with a new problem. The effects of the Quick Salve would not last forever and when it dissipated, he would need to consume another one to maintain the speed he needed to match that of his enemy's. Although he still had two extra Salves, the challenge would be to somehow imbibe another Salve without getting himself killed for he would need all of his focus for this one battle.

The massive warrior, who looked to be similar in size when compared to a Qunari, swiftly thrust his burning axe towards the Templar and Darius raised his shield to block it. The impact against the shield's surface never came and instead he felt the butt of his foe's axe strike the rim with enough force to push the shield to the side. With a single swift twist of his opponent's wrists, the burning axe was now over the head of the fugitive and bearing down on Darius with an overhead chop.

The warrior brought the axe down upon the Templar of whom barely managed to bring his Dragonbone sword up in time to block it. The blade of the burning axe struck against the edge the blessed sword and the impact felt as if he had tried to block the strike of a maul-armed dwarf berserker. Pain coursed through up the arm of the Templar as he swung his shield forwards and he managed to strike his opponent in the chest.

Staggering back from the shield-bash, Darius was quick to take advantage by launching a thrust of his sword towards the warrior's exposed face. His opponent, whose cold blue eyes burned with a maddened fury was quick to dodge by thrust by stepping aside but the Templar had predicted this and swung his sword into his opponent's direction. A loud screech of metal followed as the Templar managed to hit the warrior, the imbued Dragonbone blade pierced through the seemingly Silverite armor which flared with runic inscriptions of an elegant design and he felt the satisfying feeling of flesh being cut.

The strike was not enough to fell the warrior who gritted his teeth and launched a jab punch which struck the Templar's helmeted face. Stars exploded in his vision as the gauntleted fist connected, pain flared into Darius who was staggered back by the punch, as if someone had struck him with a mace. The Templar managed to regain his senses in time to barely block a series of powerful strikes from the warrior.

The two veteran warriors continued to trade blows with neither gaining the upper-hand, unfortunately for the Templar though, he knew that this would not last for already; he began to feel the effects of the Salve dissipate. Soon his movements began to slow and the "Chevalier" began to take advantage of this with a swift series of testing strikes. A mighty roar echoed not far from the two combatants and Darius spared only the briefest glances to see what it was.

A large plate armored, human man with a bald head and a red beard was charging towards the two of them with a great sword raised high. This newcomer shouted words of vengeance towards the "Chevalier" and Darius was somewhat relieved to find this rather surprising and unexpected ally. The new-comer had glowed with the light of magical imbuement and the Templar managed to spare a second glance to see a barbarically clothed Wilder woman with a magic staff.

As much as he normally disdained mages, Darius was not about to let his prejudices get in the way as he was still in the middle of a life and death situation. The "Chevalier" then began to back away from Darius while switching to a seemingly defensive stance. Good, thought Darius as he backed off as well and stabbed his sword to the ground.

The red bearded man swiftly closed in with the "Chevalier" and delivered a mighty sideway sweep which was quickly blocked by the burning axe. The impact of the weapons resulted in spectacular shower of sparks which actually knocked the "Chevalier" back. Grabbing another of the Swift Salves, Darius lifted up his helmet to drink it and he began to feel a warm glow as the Wilder mage cast a spell of healing upon him.

At the least the mage was making herself useful he thought as the pain of being punched in the face went away and he imbibed the potion. The zingy alchemical concoction infused him with fresh vigor as he tossed the bottle over his shoulder and reclaimed his sword. He did know who his new allies were but regardless, he was thankful for their assistance.

Striding towards his opponent with his blessed sword in hand, Darius was eager to finally end this hunt.

* * *

><p>Quickly reloading her crossbow and taking aim at the oncoming group of Templars as Theron fired a shot which struck a Templar in the visor. It was fortunate thought Kallian that all of their foes were armed with melee weapons as such; the two of them had little to worry about in regards to being shot back. Pressing the trigger of her weapon and watching as a bolt was launched; she was satisfied to see it pierce the chain links which protected the knight's left arm, above the elbow.<p>

Behind the Templars someone raised up what looked to be a staff and bright flash of light shined out from it. The advancing Templars soon began to move with a greater degree of speed and Kallian let loose a foul series of curses towards mages and magic. Quickly surveying the Templars, the City Elf tried to find the mage who had been imbued the Templars but all she found was the wall of steel drawing closer.

'We must fall back!' Theron said in a commanding tone as he looked her in the eye 'you go ahead towards Yransair and Solona, I will draw their attention!'

'I'm sticking with you!' insisted Kallian with determination for she wasn't about to let him go do some stupidly unnecessary heroics which could get him killed.

'I will be fine, don't worry' replied the Dalish Hunter with a confident look and a grin towards her.

In the short time that she had known Theron Mahariel, Kallian found him to be a rather dashing and charismatic fellow. She had come to admire his knowledge and skill as well as that confident and sure way he would carry himself with. In many ways, she had found him to a be a kindred spirit of sorts and were it not for the fact that she was already betrothed to another, she would have been eager to pursue a relationship with him.

Nodding towards the Dalish Elf in Acquiesence, Kallian then spoke 'just don't go dying for me, all right? or I am gonna get all broken up about it.'

'You have my word then' promised the Dalish Hunter who nodded before returning his gaze to the Templars.

Right, time to go then thought Kallian as she stowed her crossbow upon her back and pulled out her two daggers. Running towards where Yransair and Solona were standing, she saw that the two mages were surrounded by a pit of fire and she was quickly wondering about how that happened? Well no chances for me to help there she thought as she quickly turned her gaze towards Khorieus.

Kallian's eyes widened as she saw him struggling against two armored men, one was clearly a Templar while the other was a large armored human man with a great sword. More worryingly, she saw a mage casting spells to support the two men. Maker's Breath! She hissed as she began running towards the beleaguered High Elf.

In the days after their flight from Denerim, she had asked Khorieus about what to do when fighting a group of enemies who had had magic user. The High Elf's response was simply "always kill the sorcerer first". With a muttered curse under her breath, it seemed that Kallian would have to go up against a mage, again.

* * *

><p>Roaring the name of Kurnous while firing another flaming arrow which felled one of the last few remaining sorcerers who accompanied these Templar warriors, Illenya felt the power of the Wild Hunt fill her spirit. Those humans who had sought to pursue her had all fallen one by one to either a volley of well-aimed fiery arrows or the tip of <em>Avaldoir<em>. It was foolish for them to think that they could match their ponderous speed and clumsy horsemanship against that of a horse lady of Ellyrion.

Having Asfalrhan slow down by just a little, Illenya took a moment to survey the battlefield. Most of the Templars were focusing their efforts on Yransair and the human mage, Solona. Both of the magicians were now surrounded by a lake of fire while casting lightning bolts at the Templars or swinging swords at those who attempted to brave the flames. She saw Khorieus being hard-pressed in a battle against three foes with another figure which she instantly recognized with surprise as Kallian who now making her way towards them.

If Kallian was here, she thought with alarm as her eyes looked about and she saw a large group of Templars pursuing Theron, the speed at which they were moving was unnatural for such heavily armoured warriors and by instinct, she knew that magic was at work here. A moment of indecision passed as she was conflicted over whether she should assist Khorieus or Theron. While the Chracian's skill in arms was not in any doubt, there was the fact that he was still weakened by the ordeal with the poison.

It would have been a difficult choice had an idea not suddenly popped into her head. Quickly having Asfalrhan run into a full gallop, Illenya drove her steed towards where Khorieus was while stowing her bow and pulling up _Avaldoir_. The shadowy enchantments within her breastplate quickly shrouded the movements of the Harbinger and she brought herself close to the Chracian's battle.

Raising up her spear with a mental prayer to Kurnous, the Harbinger hurled her spear which blazed with arcane fire. _Avaldoir_ struck the right thigh of the great sword armed man as he was about to swing his weapon at Khorieus of whom was quick to focus his attention towards the Templar and he managed to parry a series of strikes from the Templar. Riding past them while leaving her spear within the human's leg, she then pulled out _Lecaihain_ again and she was about to ride past Kallian.

Willing her armour to slightly alter its magic so that Kallian could see her, Illenya gave a nod towards the child as she passed by and in return, she gave the Harbinger a nod as well. An unspoken promise had passed between them, a promise to keep the Chracian safe, one which Kallian was eager to keep. Now riding towards the group of on foot Templars, Illenya noticed the what she was sure was the last mage at the back of their group and the Ellyrian was swift to single out her target.

An arrow of blue fire materialized in Illenya's right hand and she placed it to the burning string. Taking a deep breath as she sighted down on the human mage, Illenya exhaled and let loose before summoning up another fiery arrow. The mage was staggered by the first shot, defended by a magical shield but the third shot caused the defensive barrier to fail. The mage swiftly cast a bolt of lightning which raced towards the Ellyrian who barely managed to dodge it.

The mage then began to chant another spell but not before Illenya fired another arrow which struck the mage in the chest. The human mage fell with a cry of pain and she quickly turned her steed towards the direction of which Theron was going towards. Seeing the hunter being chased by the Templars who were now slowing down, Illenya knew from experience that her bow's arrows of pure magic would not be the most effective of against foes which bore a resistance towards magic.

Stowing her bow into one of the containers on the side of the saddle, she recalled _Avaldoir_ which removed itself from the armored human she had struck and it flew towards her as swift as an arrow in flight. As the smooth wooden shaft of the heirloom weapon brushed against the skin of her open palm, Illenya closed her fist around it and tightly held on to the weapon. Flourishing the spear with a spinning motion over her heard before finally holding it one hand, the Harbinger galloped towards Theron and Templars who were already reforming to face this new threat.

* * *

><p>Fires burned around them as Solona had greased the waist-deep pit around both herself and Yransair before setting it ablaze. Having laid down a Glyph of Warding under her feet as well as a Spellbloom, the mage continuously switched between using her own blood or mana to cast spells. The combination had proven to be surprisingly effective when combined with her knowledge in healing magic for it allowed her to use blood magic more liberally.<p>

Armed now with staff and sword, the mage and her companion held the advantage of holding the high ground while the fires in the pit created a barrier around them. To her left, she saw a trio of Templars armed with single-handed weapons and shield rush through the flames. Their armor glowed brightly but they remained unharmed as a soft glow surrounded them.

Solona felt one of the High Elf's gauntleted hands tap upon the flat of her rune sword and she saw a purple aura surrounding the blade. Glancing towards the elf whose eyes sparked with purple lightning, Yransair swiftly switched to a seemingly aggressive stance as the Templars were about to climb. The High Elf rushed the three while driving his sword into the visor of a Templar's helmet, the man fell back as the great sword punched through the back of the helmet and the Loremaster stepped back while retracting his blade in time to avoid having his feet cut off by a Templar's axe.

Solona was quick to join in as well, she brought her sword down in an overhead chop which clanged off of the section of a Templar's breastplate which partly covered the shoulders. She felt the entropic magic which Yransair had placed upon the sword flare up and the Templar weakly countered with the swing of his sword. Jumping back as well to avoid the blade, she then thrust the darkspawn staff towards her foe and unleashed a rockfist which knocked the Templar off of his feet and into the fires.

Yransair was quick to decapitate the axe-wielding Templar before unleashing a series of dark purple bolts which flew towards where the sword wielder had fallen and she did not see anyone rise up. The fires around suddenly dissipated as she felt the anti-magic abilities of the Templars in use and she saw a particularly angry looking tattooed Templar with a burnt-faced and a glowing great sword who was glowering at them. Several Templars now stood around them in a circle of steel, each warrior now bared their weapons in readiness as horses stood about behind them.

Next to Burn-face and an older looking human woman in chainmail armor who was also equipped with a sword which burned with fire and a shield, what drew Solona's attention though was that the woman had a small red, crystalline vial tied to her belt.

'My Phylactery!' hissed Solona as she swiftly began to channel another spell before another wave of anti-magic struck her and she felt her spell fail while the Glyph and Spellbloom were also canceled out.

'You have blasphemed in the eyes of the Maker, Apostates!' roared Burn-face as he stabbed his greatsword into the ground and pulled out a pair of swords sheathed upon his sides. Pointing one of the swords to both herself and Yransair, he continued 'for your transgressions, the both of you have earned not only death but excommunication!'

'Are you here to bore us with your sermons, Templar?' asked Yransair with mockery in his tone 'because if you are, you are already half-way there'

'Purge them!' commanded the Burn-face and as one, the ring of Templars advanced with no opening for them to escape through. Looking to Yransair with worry, she saw the grim look in his eyes as he glared back at the Templars.

'Sheathe your sword and hold my hand child' he whispered and the Mage nodded, relieved that he at least had some sort of plan and she obeyed the High Elf as he did the same. The Templars descended down the pit and they walked over the charred corpses of their comrades, Solona heard him whisper 'hold on'.

Before she knew it, the High Elf swept her off of her feet and carried her in both of his arms. He then turned away from Burn-face and began sprinting towards the Templars who had been behind them. Wrapping her right arm around the High Elf's neck while still holding on to the Darkspawn staff with her other hand, she heard him begin whispering a spell as the Sapphires in his armor glowed, the winds began to blow strongly and as Yranasair reached the ledge leading to the shallow pit, he jumped over it.

Instead of briefly going up and landing right in front of the faces of the Templars, Solona saw that they still remained in the air with the wind blowing so strongly that it actually carried them. Gasping in surprise at this sudden flight, she looked up to the High Elf's face which was a mask of concentration. Their flight lasted for only a few seconds but it was enough for them to be able to traverse over the pit and the Templars below.

The High Elf gracefully landed not far from the outer edge of the pit and gently helped the mage down before pulling out his great sword in one hand and with fluid single, fluid motion; he shifted into a defensive stance. Following Yransair's lead and pulling out her sword as well, Solona soon began casting once more.

* * *

><p>'Oh sodding-' hissed Theron Mahariel as he reached for another arrow and found that his quiver was empty.<p>

Dropping the bow Master Ilen had given him, he swiftly brought out a _Dar'misu_ and _Dar'misaan_ while stepping away to keep his distance from the Templars. He had managed to fell three more of the humans who were encumbered by their heavy armor, while the Dalish Hunter moved swiftly as he was light on his feet.

Now that he was out of arrows though, he would be forced to engage them sword to sword. Briefly glancing towards where he had last seen Solona and Yransair, he had been momentarily stunned to see them soaring through the air and over the heads of a number of Templars who had surrounded them. Running as quickly as he could, towards the two magicians, Theron's speed proved to be of a great asset as he closed in on them while shouting at the top of his lungs in their direction.

He saw the two magicians turn their heads towards him before focusing their efforts on the Templars who were now climbing out of the pit while others went back to their horses. He eventually made his way to the two who were now busy using a mixture of swordsmanship and magic to fight the Templars. Suddenly, he noticed that Kallian was not with them and he frantically looked around and he could not find her.

'Where is Kallian!?' he asked while thrusting his _dar'misaan_ in the direction of a Templar's sword which was aimed towards Solona while Yransair was busy doing most of the actual fighting.

'You brought her with you!?' came the surprised voice of the human mage as she thrust the head of her staff towards a group of Templars in front of them and unleashed a cone of fire.

'She came with me' he simply replied as he turned to face the Templars and focused on guarding the mage's flank 'we were supposed to rally to you'.

'I have not seen her at all!' growled Solona as her face suddenly began to look pale and he saw that her left hand was bleeding.

'You are wounded!?' Theron said with alarm as a Templar who had climbed over the pit was now bearing down on him.

The Templar roared the name of their Maker and swung his shield towards the Dalish Hunter who was forced to hop back to avoid getting struck. The Templar swiftly followed up his shield-strike with a swing of his sword which was aimed at Theron who barely managed to parry it. The Templar's strike shattered Theron's swords and the blade continued its path towards him while hardly being slowed down.

Pain exploded across Theron's chest as the sword sliced through his leather armor which had been made in the Dalish style, it cut flesh, meat and bones as the weapon tore his lungs. Blood gushed out from the wound as well as Theron's mouth as his vision began to swim and he struggled to remain standing. He heard a shout of surprise from Solona which was soon followed by a wave of intense heat and the pained scream of a man along with the screeching of steel.

Theron struggled to breathe but found that he could not for his lungs were filling up with blood. A pleasantly warm sensation soon filled his very being and his visions began to return to normal. Coughing up and spitting out a large gobbet of blood upon the grass, he noticed that the pain was gone and saw that his wound was healed.

Already knowing the answer why, he looked to the human mage with an appreciative look and she gave a soft smile and a nod as the body of the Templar who had slashed him now lay near them with a fatal wound to the neck while his armor was glowing with heat. Solona then noticed something behind him and he glanced back to see Illenya harrying the Templars by hurling her spear at the formation of Templars. A particularly loud clash of metal upon metal rang out from where Yransair was facing and Theron saw a bare headed, tattooed Templar wielding two swords was now fighting the High Elf, the bodies of several Templars lay around the feet of the Loremaster.

He saw that the Loremaster was wounded with bloody rents across his armor. The High Elf maintained a deadly and graceful dance while the human attacked him with a clinical series of furious strikes.

'Come on! Stick with me!' shouted Solona rather assertively at their situation as her sword suddenly burst into flames and she began casting another spell which resulted in him feeling a bit stronger.

Quickly picking up the sword of the Templar who had struck him, Theron felt an odd sensation around him before the weapon ignited. With a wry grin, the Dalish Elf had to admit that for a human, she was not too bad, even a bit intriguing. Keeping close to the human mage, Theron used his sword to block and parry attacks while keeping Solona protected as she wove a wide variety of spells to help keep their foes at bay or physically give either of them an edge.

Another Templar swung a sword at the Dalish Elf who managed to deflect it with an upwards parry while swiftly pulling out his own knife. Theron then proceeded to jam the knife into his opponent's exposed neck, the tip pierced the apple of the Templar's throat and he twisted it before pulling the blade out. Stepping back to allow the now dead shemlen to face first to the ground, he reversed the grip on his knife as another one came at him.

The sound of hooves thundering along with the clatter of plate mail could be heard and he briefly saw a pair of mounted Templars riding towards them with swords raised. A bright flash of azure flame flew threw the air and it impaled one of the riders while another swung a sword downwards towards Solona's head as the mage was in the middle of spell-cast towards another group of Templars. Hurling his knife at the other rider, Theron caught the human in the visor and the Templar fell off of his horse with a shout of pain.

Solona then unleashed a spell which caused the earth to shake and several of their opponents lost their footing and fell to the ground. Another series of hoof beats could be felt moving towards them and Theron glanced back to see Illenya moving up to them. The High Elf woman gave him a grim nod as she dismounted her steed while pulling out a _Dar'misu_ from the side of the saddle and she handed the blade to him.

Accepting the dagger and taking it with his left hand, Theron gave a quick word of thanks before readying himself to face their opponents again. The Templars still outnumbered but he was confident that as long as they stuck together, they just might make it out alive. Glancing to Solona who was breathing heavily as she looked rather pale before the color returned to her flesh, she glanced towards him and gave a sly wink to the elf.

Winking back at the human mage, Theron felt ready to give the _shemlen_ bit of payback.

* * *

><p>The twin swords of the Templar leader were a furious flurry of blows which kept Yransair Stormwing on his guard as he fought through the pain of his wounds. For an old human, the tattooed, Burn-faced man was a skilled fighter, no doubt that the leader was using enchanted equipment or alchemy to improve his physical combat skills. The Loremaster had honestly welcomed this change of pace for he had found many of these Templars to be as competent as Bretonnian Errant Knight.<p>

Enchanted steel blades screeched in a shower of sparks against the imbued _ithilmar_ edge of Tempestfang, the runes etched along the great sword's fuller shone brightly as stars in the night. The Loremaster's movements were swift and graceful, honed to perfection by centuries of practice and use while his opponent fought in a style that was both savage yet clinical. The Templars left their leader to engage in his duel against the Loremaster and they focused their efforts on dispatching Solona Illenya and Theron.

One sword slashed through towards Yransair who brought up Tempestfang in time to swat his opponents weapon upwards while the human's second blade was swung towards the Loremaster's stomach. Anticipating such an attack, he brought down the hilt of his great sword and the Sapherian was able to catch the second blade by Tempestfang's grip as it was mere inches away between the gauntleted hands of the High Elf. Delivering a swift kick which caught the Templar in the chest, the burned man was staggered back and Yransair used the time to swiftly back away and create space.

It was almost like fighting one of the Chaos Warriors whom often went into battle with dual weapons. Like them, the Templar had strength and ferocity which was tempered by perhaps one of the most dangerous skill a warrior could possess, discipline. Of course, the Loremaster still had his magic but the idea of just vaporizing such a skilled fighter seemed like such a waste for his honour as a warrior would demand that he slay this foe by the sword.

The Templar quickly came at him again with both swords facing downwards and carving a thin furrow into the ground. Drawing upon all of the Death Magic generated by the Purple Sun of Xereus, Yransair focused his will and wove a spell which formed it into a Reaping Scythe of gloaming energy which materialized around his left hand. Easily wielding Tempestfang now with one hand, he flourished both the great sword and the scythe as easily as he had done with the twin _Dar'misaan_ swords.

Charging towards this Templar leader with a calm look of resolve while mirroring his foe's stance, the two clashed once more with lightning swift strikes and deft parries. Bright sparks of lights flashed as their weapons struck and those who had witnessed their duel all saw only difficult to follow, blurs of movement as they fought a deadly dance. The Loremaster now could match his foe's furious assaults with the added advantage of reach and range.

Once more their weapons clashed with expert skill displayed by both fighters as the other Templars continued to focus their efforts on the High Elf's companions. The Loremaster could not spare a second thought towards them for to do so now would be to invite disaster, especially with the pain of his wounds flaring up. Moving with his usual dance-like grace, Yransair focused more on defense while making it look like his foe was gaining the upper hand.

The Templar took the bait and continued with his furious assault and the High Elf further feigned weakness and made it look as if his wounds were beginning to take their toll upon him. Drawing the human closer into his trap, the Loremaster purposefully slipped in his dance the moment he parried another sword strike and falling back while the burn-faced man leapt forwards with blades readied for the kill. The twin swords thrust forwards, aimed at the High Elf who then altered the power within the Reaping Scythe and it exploded in a wave of entropic energy.

The human's movements began to slow and the thrust of his strike became misaimed as if leaden with a great weight. It wall Yransair needed for he swiftly swung Tempestfang into the side of the Templar neck and he felt the satisfying feeling of flesh being severed. A look of surprise came over the Templar leader whose eyes widened for a moment before rolling up to the back of his head as his head fell off of his body.

A stunned silence came over the remaining Templars who had watched and a lull in the battle was made. A loud pained shriek then pierced the sky not far from them where Khorieus had been fighting. Looking to where the Chracian was, Yransair saw the battle which was being played out there but he knew that for now he would have to deal with the more immediate threat of the Templars.

Channeling the last bit of death magic into himself and towards his companions, the Loremaster had cast, Aspect of the Dread Knight. Voices cried out in fear and terror and soon the remaining Templars began to flee with those of a sterner resolve stayed and fight. Flourishing Tempestfang once more, the Loremaster knew that the night's bloodshed was not yet done.

* * *

><p>Flourishing <em>Avaldoir<em> in a spinning arc before plunging it into the neck of a human knight, Illenya pulled the heirloom weapon out and swung it low towards the feet of another Templar and knocking her opponent off of his feet. The Harbinger fought using the Dance of Whirling Death, a technique used by the _Asrai_ of Athel Loren which proved effective against armoured foes such as these. Another Templar was impaled by _Avaldoir_ and she switched to the defensive dance known as The Shadows Coil.

Theron and Solona fought next to the Harbinger with the former fighting more defensively while the human mage unleashed destructive elemental spells. It seemed odd to Illenya how the human was capable of wielding what was clearly different colleges of magic and she guessed that in this world, mages in general had little to worry about in regards to madness and mutation which could be brought about through spell-craft.

Suddenly feeling a warm rush of invigorating energy which infused her muscles, the Ellyrian found herself capable of striking at her opponents with a greater degree of strength. Knowing full well that this was doing of Solona, Illenya made sure to make the mage's safety a top priority. Masterfully parrying the strikes of Templars while occasionally countering with sweeps of _Avaldoir_, she felt the chill Wind of _Shyish_ wrap around her like a cloak.

Several of the Templars soon began to back away from the Harbinger and her two wards; some turned and ran while others held their ground. The Wind of _Azyr_ was then felt as Yransair began unleashing another storm of lightning, one which was imbued with an even greater degree of arcane power. Illenya glanced towards the Loremaster who wove his deadly dance of spell and sword towards her and she saw him give a slight nod of the head.

Instinctively understanding the meaning of the gesture, she briefly looked to her charges and ordered them to stick close as she soon took up the aggressive dance known as Storm of Blades. Launching herself at the remaining Templars between herself and Yransair, the Harbinger's movements had become a swift blur of motion which was even further concealed by the shadowy enchantments upon her breastplate. The two High Elves soon came together, their locked upon one another for a brief moment before the Ellyrian thrust her spear forwards to stab a knight in the armoured chest before the Sapherian did something similar with a bolt of lightning.

Moving behind Yransair with her back to his, Illenya thrust and swung _Avaldoir_ while the Loremaster fought in a similar manner with Tempestfang. Their movements became a deadly and well choreographed dance which would have rivaled the teamwork of a regiment of Swordmasters. Human knights fell with heads severed, throats slits, and faces stabbed through the visors of their helmets as they impotently used their anti-magical abilities against them.

Theron and Solona remained not far from them but certainly not next to the two High Elves for the deadly dance they performed would have required a degree of coordination which only the members of their _Senthanos_ could achieve. It was fortunate that those remaining Templars who still faced them had considered the _Asur_ as of being the greater threat. Many tried to close in to strike at them but those who attempted to do so were forced to back away as they tried to avoid the barrier of _Ithilmar_ blades.

'Did you see a human female in chainmail with a burning sword?' asked the voice of Yransair in Eltharin as he parried a sword, spun behind Illenya to cut down a human while the Harbinger impaled the Loremaster's attacker.

'I did yes, to your right' swiftly replied Illenya as she kicked the mortally wounded knight off of her spear before swinging it low to the legs of another.

Moving once more to switch places with Yransair, Illenya brought her spear up and she parried an axe swing while the Sapherian plunged his great sword into the Templar she had knocked down before the human had even hit the ground.

'That human is carrying something which can lead them to us again' hissed Yransair as he pulled Tempestfang out from his fallen foe before switching places again.

Words of retreat were soon being sounded by the Templars and Illenya saw the armoured knights slowly back away in an orderly fashion. The chainmail armoured human female with the burning sword was Yransair was among them and Illenya quickly noted the glittering red object tied to the human's waist. Hefting Avaldoir up and preparing for a throw, the Harbinger hurled the spear like a javelin and it flew straight and true towards the human.

The human female then saw the spear coming towards her and to Illenya's surprise, had managed to actually bring her shield up in time to catch the weapon. The human was staggered back by the _Avaldoir _and Illenya recalled the spear to prepare another throw before she felt the build-up of _Azyr_ as Yransair unleashed a bolt of lightning. The lightning bolt struck the human female with full force and it jumped towards the nearest Templars and causing a few of them collapse.

'Get the Phylactery!' shouted a knight as he went towards the fallen woman but as he took a few steps, a massive ball of fire flew towards the Templar and it engulfed the warrior in an inferno.

Glancing back to Solona, the human mage had a look of grim determination on her pale face as embers of fire danced around her left-hand fingertips with her foul staff missing. The four of them began advancing towards where the chainmail clad human had fallen with the two mages hurling deadly spells at those Templars who tried to get in their way or rescue their comrade. Soon they found themselves standing over the chainmail armoured human who looked rather dazed with minor electrical burns across her flesh.

Theron stomped his foot over the human's sword arm, pinning it to the ground before kneeling down to pick up her sword. The two High Elves watched with vigilance as their weapons were readied in case of trouble, they saw Solona reach down to the Templar's belt to retrieve what looked to be a red vial. The mage then retrieved the object from the Templar and she spent a moment to study it.

'So much trouble, all for this' tiredly whispered Solona as she held it up.

'You have condemned yourself, Amell' groggily whispered the female Templaras she groaned in pain before Theron placed the edge of his _Dar'misu_ upon their fallen foe's neck.

'Remember me, _shemlen_?' hissed Theron with a threatening growl and the human female looked him in the eye without an iota of fear.

'There was very little need… for all of this' spoke Yransair as he looked down to the human as well 'so much death could have easily been avoided had this misunderstanding not happened.'

'Just walk away and never follow me, or my friends again' Solona then said as she looked away from the phylactery.

'I cannot make that promise for my duties to the Chantry and Maker as a Templar are clear and no member of my Order would ever make such an oath' replied the human female as she then looked to Solona 'I have read the report on your case, Solona Amell' she then said with a sad and apologetic tone 'and I believe that you truly were a victim in all of this, and for that, I am sorry for how unjustly my brothers and sisters have condemned you for.'

The human mage seemed taken aback for a moment by the Templar woman's outright apology. She then looked to Yransair whose shoulders slumped slightly and Illenya knew well enough what must be done. The Templar had made it clear that neither she nor he companions would cease hunting Solona and thus would only prove to be a future threat if they allowed this human to leave.

'Do you have any last words human?' asked Yransair with weariness as he tightened his grip around Tempestfang.

'I do' the Templar woman replied as she looked to both the Harbinger and the Loremaster with a critical eye. 'What are you?' asked the Templar.

'We are the _Asur_, human' replied Yransair with solemnity 'the High Elves of Ulthuan, the Children of Isha, the Heirs of Asuryan, we have come from another plane of reality and we seek our way home.' The Loremaster then raised Tempestfang up over his shoulder and readied for a swing 'I am sorry for what I must do.'

'I understand then' the human woman said as she looked to Theron and said 'I am sorry as well for my earlier deception, I do not begrudge you for what you have done.'

Theron remained there for a moment; his hands trembled around the hilt of the _dar'misu_ before removing the blade from the Templar's neck and he rose up to take a step back.

'May your deity welcome you, human' Yransair said before swinging his great sword down in a lethal, executing arc.

* * *

><p>Creeping behind the mage the as quietly as she could, Kallian's heart beat loudly as she tightened the grip on her daggers. The battle between Khorieus and the two other humans had still been ongoing with both of them managing to wound the High Elf who still remained standing. The <em>Asur's<em> attacks were mighty but as soon as he wounded either the templar or the red bearded man, the mage was there to cast spells of healing.

She had seen Khorieus attempting to disengage from his two opponents and head for the mage but both had proven to be rather relentless in their pursuit of him. Just got to make this quick and quiet she thought while remembering the last time she had run into a mage. Keeping her head low while using the grass to help conceal herself she drew closer to her target as she steadied her breathing.

Here goes nothing thought Kallian as she began to pick up her pace. The mage raised her staff and cast another spell at one of the two humans who fought Khorieus. The thief's heart began to beat more loudly within her heart as a cold sweat began to appear on her brow.

Step by step, she drew closer to the mage; Kallian then reversed the grip on her daggers and began to make a run for it. As she drew closer to the mage, the human swiftly turned towards the thief with a burning staff pointed at the City Elf. The human mage's lips were already parting in the middle of a spell.

'Oh sod!' cursed Kallian as she leapt to the side as a bright flash of light and a blistering wave of heat washed over her. Landing with a grunt and a roll upon the purple-lit grass, the thief quickly recovered in time and she looked up to see the mage preparing another spell as lightning crackled around the head of the staff.

Hurling her left-hand dagger at the mage, she soon heard a loud shriek of pain as her weapon struck the witch in the left shoulder. Quickly running towards the mage, Kallian leapt towards her opponent and plunged her other dagger at the magic user. The mage swung her staff one handed like a mace towards the thief and Kallian felt the breath knocked out of her lungs.

A brief moment of vertigo filled Kallian's senses before she struck the ground hard. Breathing deeply to get the air back into her lungs, she swiftly jumped back up to her feet in time to see the mage pull the dagger out of the shoulder. Running towards the mage again and promising not to make the same mistake, the human glowed with a mystic light and Kallian saw that the wound she had caused began to close.

Hissing a curse, Kallian swiftly drew her crossbow with her free hand and she slashed towards the mage who expertly parried the thief's attack and she swung her staff again. Prepared this time, Kallian ducked underneath the blow and she thrust her knee upwards and caught the mage in the stomach before delivering a pommel strike to the human's chin. The human reeled back from the attack but still remained standing as she quickly recovered in time to launch a series of swings and stabs at Kallian.

Weaving around the mage's strikes which would be considered as swift and powerful by most people, Kallian on the other hand found it to be rather slow and clumsy in comparison to her training sessions with Khorieus. Ducking underneath a backhanded staff swing which was followed by a dagger thrust to her gut, Kallian blocked the dagger with her remaining one while spinning to the mage's back and delivering a swift kick to the human's right knee cap.

The mage grunted in pain as she fell to one knee and Kallian was quick to take advantage by plunging her dagger into the human's exposed neck. Instead of striking soft flesh, Kallian felt as if she had struck mail armor and was forced to put more effort into pushing the dagger in. Blood spattered the City Elf's face as the mage gurgled blood and gasped for breath.

'NO!' shouted a deep voice from where Khorieus was fighting and she saw the red-bearded man looking at her with a mixture of anger and disbelief. The red-bearded man let loose a fierce war cry before turning towards her with his great sword held high.

'Oh sod!' hissed Kallian as she left her dagger in the mage's neck and leveled her crossbow at the human and took a deep breath to steady her aim. Pressing the trigger on her weapon, she released a bolt which flew towards the red-bearded man and it struck him in the upper-left side of the belly below the heart. The man was hardly bothered by the shot and he did not even slow down.

The human suddenly jerked in his movements and he stood there for a moment before his eyes rolled up and he fell with a familiar knife sticking out of from the back of his skull. Behind the human, she saw Khorieus holding his burning axe with one hand and to her surprise, she saw so much blood on the High Elf's armor, most of it she was sure was his own for great rents and dents could be seen upon it. He did not spare her a moment longer for the Templar was swiftly upon him with his longsword lunging forwards to gut Khorieus who barely managed to block it.

Kallian saw that the movements of Khorieus was slower than usual, she could see that it took him greater effort to block the Templar's attacks. Setting her crossbow down and recovering her daggers from the now rather dead looking mage, the thief began sprinting towards the two combatants with her daggers held in a reverse grip again. Just as with the mage, Kallian would have to make this fight quick.

Slashing his sword towards the his opponent, Darius, managed to score another hit which caused the warrior to grunt in pain before countering with a sweep of his burning axe which caught the Templar on the top of his right pauldron. The enchanted metal plates screeched as its protective enchantments worked it magic but the flames of the axe began to cause the pauldron to intensely heat up. Roaring in further pain, Darius swung his shield at the massive warrior and his opponent leapt back in time to avoid it.

The two fighters heavily breathed as they still faced one another, Darius felt the effects of his last Swift Salve disappear and he knew that he was in trouble. He may have his opponent wounded but so was he and what was worse, he noticed the retreat of his brethren. It was so unreal to the Templar that such a small group could annihilate such as force, their magic was nothing he had ever seen before and their skill in arms made them appear as mere children.

* * *

><p>Gritting his teeth underneath his helmet and determined to at least take this murderer down, he shifted towards a defensive stance with shield raised as he struggled to maintain his hold on his sword. Suddenly hearing the softest of steps from behind him, Darius glanced back to see a lithe figure leap towards him with two very familiar, red steel daggers in hand. The Templar brought his shield up in time to catch his attacked but an intense agony exploded in his right arm as the daggers pierced the plate armor along with flesh and bone.<p>

His attacker then leapt off of his shield while leaving the blades in his arm. Managing to catch a glimpse of who had struck him, he saw an elf girl wearing a suit of Studded Leather Armor which he immediately recognized. Wanting nothing more than to shouting at the elf girl and demand where she had gotten that set of armor, he felt another explosion of pain from behind his hamstrings and he realized that he had made the greatest mistake any warrior could make in a fight. Falling to his knees as he collapsed to grassy ground, he tried to look back to see the face of the fugitive he had tried so hard to apprehend.

A moment of vertigo and weightlessness followed Darius as he found himself to be falling to the ground. His eyes widened as he saw his armor body still kneeling there with his neck ending in a charred stump. In the last moments of the Templar, Jacob Darius, he thought of his daughter and the grand-child he would never see.

* * *

><p>Breathing heavily as the head of the Templar lay near his feet, Khorieus felt the killing rage which had filled his senses remain. Looking to Kallian who had most unexpectedly come to his assistance, the High Elf felt his anger reluctantly ebb away as he looked about and saw the fleeing Templars. Feeling a bit disappointed at having only killed so few a number of opponents, his feelings on the matter were heightened for he had been unable to slay his opponents in a straight forwards fight.<p>

The Red Bearded human with the great sword had proven to be a worthy a foe who fought with the fury of a Norscan Berserker which was tempered with discipline. The man had spouted curses and insults at the High Elf, calling for his blood to avenge some fallen friends of his. If the human wanted him to remember exactly whoever it was the Chracian had killed, he should have been specific about it, too late for that now he thought with contempt.

The Templar had also proven to be a skilled opponent who had managed to strike him on multiple occasions. The pain of the attacks from the humans was still there but the Amulet of Isha around his neck began to infuse him with its healing magic as it always does after battle. Taking a deep breath of the cold night air as the Purple Sun of Xereus dissipated above them, the plains were soon plunged into a natural darkness with only the celestial lights above.

As his eyes adjusted to sudden darkness, Khorieus looked back to Kallian and saw her walking towards him with a smug look on her face, she teasingly then said with pride and a bit of mockery 'so… glad to have my help this time?'

Whispering the words for his axe to extinguish its fires, Khorieus carried the great weapon in his left hand while resting its haft on his shoulder and he slowly walked towards Kallian. As he came face to face with her, he gave the child a fatherly smile as he placed a gauntleted hand over her shoulder and said 'you did well… _mornah_, you have my thanks.' Kallian's lips curled up into a smile at his praise and she had an avaricious look which came upon her face.

'Come on! Let's see what they had on them!' she said a bit excitedly as she began searching through the belongings of the headless Templar. Amused by this, Khorieus went towards the helmeted head of his fallen foe and he removed the piece of protective headgear. Looking upon the face of the dead Templar, Khorieus saw that it an old man.

He was not surprised for in his travels across _Elthin Arvan_, he had met quite a number of humans who despite being past their physical prime, were more than capable of surviving melee fights with orcs, ogres, undead and even daemons. Tightly gripping the back of the dead man's head and raising it up to the sky, he roared a praise of victory in the name of _Khaine_. Despite his disappointment, what mattered to Khorieus was that he as well as his companions were alive and their foes were either dead or had fled.

A victory was a victory he thought and they would carry on with their quest to return home.

* * *

><p>Eventually dawn would come; the sun's brilliant rays bathed the world in a warm light and to those who had seen the unnatural sun in the night, there would be only questions and wonderment. North of where the battle had been fought, the clan of Dalish Elves had set up camp for their tired Halla. An alarm was briefly sounded as they saw a group of riders were spotted in the distance.<p>

Their alarm would soon turn into relief and awe when they saw the return of one of their clansmen and his companions. Suits of armor, swords, axes, shields, maces and other pieces of equipment were distributed towards the clan who promised to send scavenger parties later. Many were awed by the return of the High Elves and their companions for they had routed a force of the Chantry's Templars.

Although the Dalish were glad to welcome the High Elves it soon became known that their guests could no longer stay. The _Asur_ of course agreed to part ways for they did not wish to bring any further trouble to their hosts. At the very least though, they were given one more day to rest and recuperate before heading out but not before being given supplies and gifts for their journey.

The day would thankfully pass without incident and when dawn came the next day, the High Elves made their preparations to leave.

* * *

><p>Placing a freshly cleaned, leather saddle upon the back of a Destrier which had been claimed from the battles two days ago, Khorieus was pleased that at the least, they were well supplied for their journey. Fresh quivers of arrows were attached to the sides of the saddle along with pouches carrying supplies of food, drink and medicine while a polished pair of <em>Dal'thanu<em> axes hung on the sides of his waist. The High Elf really would have also liked to take a _Dal'thanaan_ with him but found that carrying such a thing might prove a tad bit impractical with his own great axe around.

Wearing his armour which was dented and rent in more than a few places, he resolved to keep it on as much as possible to help avoid any other attempts on his life. Near the Chracian, he saw Yransair and Illenya preparing busily preparing their steeds as well; each horse was also carrying a variety of supplies as well as other gifts to them. Both of them had received gleaming _Dar'misaan_ swords while the Loremaster had also received an elegant longbow crafted by their hosts.

Hearing the thuds of hooves upon grass, he looked back to see Kallian leading a horse with her. Upon her forehead, he saw a fresh set of intricate tattoos which depicted a set of curving horns and a needle-like object on the bridge of her nose. A _vallaslin_ they had called it, a mark which he had learned, signifies adulthood the Dalish and in the case of Kallian, her membership among their clan.

'You didn't think you were leaving without me, were you?' asked Kallian with grin and he noted the supplies she packed as well as the other several quivers of bolts she had brought.

'I had a feeling you would _mornah_' replied Khorieus who knew well enough that arguing with her would become pointless and she would still follow him or circumstances would occur and they would be together again.

'Theron and Solona are coming as well' she then announced which drew curious looks from the Illenya and Yransair.

'There is little need for them to come' spoke the Loremaster with a bit of surprise.

'Hey it's not my decision' shrugged Kallian 'you try to talk them out of it'.

They remained silent for a moment before quietly going back to their preparations. Khorieus grinned at the thought of them coming for it would be nice to travel in a group again.

'We will be leaving in half an hour' the Chracian then said and Kallian nodded and went off with her horse in tow and leaving the _Asur_ to their work.


	15. Elui

The great game had now taken a slower turn of pace as the Crone and Raven watched events which were not in either of their control unfold. To the south where a great darkness gathered, the Grey Shepherd who neared the end of his fate was traveling in the company of the one who symbolized much. Ahead of the Grey Shepherd was the Golden Prince whose fate was also near its end and the two men clasped with one another's forearms and spoke.

'King Cailan?' asked the Grey Shepherd with surprise 'I wasn't expecting-'

'A royal welcome?' interrupted the Golden Prince whose cheery demeanor hid the fear within his heart 'I was beginning to worry you'd miss all the fun!'

'Not if I could help it, your Majesty' replied the Grey Shepherd

'Then I'll have the mighty Duncan at my side in battle after all! Glorious' continued the Golden Prince, oblivious of his coming end.

Such hopes and dream filled the heart of the Prince yet sadly, he was not to be the hero of this tale. The Crone noticed the gaze of the Raven was drawn to something not far from where the Grey Shepherd was. Casting her eyes to what it was, the Crone saw a swamp where a single hut stood, by the banks of the murky waters, an old woman with the shadow of a dragon was looking up to sky.

'What are you?' curiously asked the Dragon Hag with interest as her golden eyes pierced the veil of this reality.

'Another player then?' questioned the chittering voice of the Raven who now took the form of one of its greatest servants.

'Perhaps…' rasped the Crone with interest as she only saw an uncertain fate for the Dragon Hag who continued to study them.

'It will not be yours' confidently muttered the Hag of Dragons with a promise as she looked up towards the Crone and the Raven 'you have no power here…'

'Anything else you have need of, mother?' suddenly came the voice of the Changeling Witch whose fate would be tied with that of the Grey Shepherd's ward.

'Nothing else dear' replied the Dragon Hag whose smile incensed the Raven.

'Impudent creature' grumbled the Raven whose form was that of a red and gold armoured giant whose equipment was decorated in a manner which was reminiscent of the regalia used by the Sun Children who were now condemned to an eternity between the realms of the living and the dead.

'We should keep an eye on this one then' rasped the Crone as she turned her gaze back to her pieces and those who they traveled with.

The Ninety Nine now moved to their intended destinations, the ones they traveled with now bore the Marks, a protection for when the time comes that they must face the Raven's pieces. The fate of not one but many worlds now unknowing lay within the hands of the Ninety Nine and the God-Marked as their paths now crossed, never have the stakes been higher and the chances of victory, more uncertain for so much could still go wrong. Yet despite the heavy risks, the prize was simply worth the gamble.

And so the Crone and Raven continued their game, with but the prelude coming to its end. The Crone could not allow the Raven to win this game; she could not allow that which could spell the very doom of the last reality which the Crone and those who opposed the Darkness still held sway. Whatever happens, they could not claim it, they must never have the Dragonsoul.

* * *

><p><em>Drums beat as the boots and claws of thousands echoed across the forest. Roars of bloodlust filled the sky as cruel blades were sharpened and arrows were fletched as a sense of anticipation and eagerness filled the minds of the masses. Captured war machines were pushed into place while baggage train slaves carried the deadly payloads which would end the lives of many.<em>

_Beneath the earth, the tunnels echoed with the sounds of countless more warriors, each one was eager to spill the blood of those who lived under the sun. They were a legion, a swarm, a black Horde which would sweep over the land and plunge the world in a tide of blood and carnage. Nothing would be safe, whether it be dwarf, man, elf or beast, all would feel the embrace of the darkness._

_Upon mighty wings of leathery scales, the Dragon roared its fury into the deep earth, fires burst from its throat as those warriors around it raised their weapons for the coming victory. With but a thought, the Dragon willed for its legions to march and make ready for war. Thousands of voices filled the air from the deeps to the plains and forests it drowned out all other sound as it threatened to shatter the sanity of any mortal mind._

_The voices grew louder and louder until finally, they became a single, unified roar which shook the very earth and sky._

Awakening with a sudden gasp, Theron bolted up to a seated position as a cold sweat drenched his flesh. The room they had rented at the inn was silent save for the muted bustle and music of those located on the ground floor. The Dalish Hunter rested upon large bed where his companion stirred.

'Is something wrong?' asked the groggy voice of Solona as she rose up and placed her delicate hands over the back of his bare shoulders. Glancing back, he saw that the human woman was, like himself, not wearing anything, not that he was complaining of course.

'I had the dream again' replied Theron as he felt the mage's hands begin to gently coax him back to bed.

'The one of the Dragon and the Darkspawn?' asked Solona with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity.

'Yes' Theron then said with worry 'I think… I think something terrible is going to happen.'

'Hush now' whispered the mage as she gently placed her hands around his cheek and turned his head to face her. Looking at the human with a mounting desire growing inside of him, he felt rather aroused by the mage's presence. 'The king had gathered an army which will have both Mages and Grey Wardens among them' she then said in an attempt to comfort him 'I am sure the Wardens will do their job like they have always done.'

'I… I suppose' Theron replied a bit hesitantly as he looked away and he felt the mage gently pull his head towards her. The two of them kissed for a long moment, feeling comfort in each other's warmth and all the worry about the Darkspawn and the Dragon could at least, wait for now.

* * *

><p>Patting a heavy leather pouch of coins with deep satisfaction, Kallian smiled at her latest haul from the marketplace. On the previous day, she had come down with a flu and a merchant who sold medicinal salves and poultices had offered to sell her a cure, much to her regret, she believed the merchant. The medicine turned out to be nothing more than powdered Deathroot dissolved in a vinegar-like solution and she had later been forced to turn to Yransair for healing after going through a hallucinatory episode of having to fight a pack of Dire Bunnies under the command of Ser Long John the Serpently Endowed.<p>

That Snake-Oil Merchant won't be laughing now she thought as she had completely robbed the bastard of all the coin within the safe he kept in his wagon. She had also left a little surprise for the merchant in his safe, the kind which came in the form of a spring trap with an unsealed bag of powdered deathroot. She would have loved to see how the charlatan manages to fare against a man-sized appendage which attempts to invade your orifices.

The town they had stopped in seemed nice enough, the streets were wide and open with lots of people from travelers, peasants and merchants going about. She had already "accidentally" bumped into a few of the wealthier looking folk and had relieved them of a few valuables. It was really nice to get back to honest thievery after all that business with the Templars and the Darkspawn months ago.

Heading towards the inn where they had rented out rooms, she wondered if she should go check up on the High Elves who had decided to make camp outside of town for the time being. With a shrug, she knew that they would be fine, especially when all three of them were together, perhaps she should pass by the Market again and buy a few things for the _Asur_?

When Kallian arrived at the inn called The Dancing Mule, she saw that the doors were left open and inside she heard the soft music as a hired minstrel played his song and the delectable smell of a stew wafted from the kitchen. Inside, there were not many customers for it was too early in the day for most people to go drinking. Entering the inn and briefly drawing the attention of the bartender and the minstrel, aside from those two there were a pair of drunks in one corner, a group of rather mean looking human men in leather armor and chain armor who occupied three tables.

Most notable among the crowd was a heavily armed and armored dwarf woman with braided light brown hair who was seated by the middle section of the bar. It was somewhat comical to see the dwarf sitting on a stool intended for the height of humans or elves for the dwarf's legs were dangling above the floorboard. The dwarf quietly drank and ate as a heavy looking helmet rested near the dwarf's tankard and she only spared a brief glance to Kallian before going back to her meal.

'What can I get for you?' asked the bartender as he glanced a bit nervously at the group of leather and chain armored men who were each armed with either a two handed weapon or dual-weapons.

'Whatever you got on tap now and a bowl of whatever is cooking on the pot' replied Kallian and the bartender nodded before sending her order to the kitchen. Moving up to the bar and taking a seat to the dwarf's right Kallian drew another brief glance from the short and armored figure. The dwarf then left the elf to her business and Kallian did the same too.

As she waited for her food and drink, Kallian heard the sounds of wood scraping against wood as a chair was being pushed back. Footsteps soon followed and she glanced back to see a pair of the leather and chain armored men walking towards them with the swagger of a mercenary. The two humans looked similar enough, brothers most likely and both looked like they had lived a life-time of getting into fights for they had a lot of scars, cauliflower ears and noses which looked like they had broken and improperly fixed on many occasions.

'Aint seen alot of fine ladies like yerselves aroun these parts' leered one of the men whose breath smelled of cheap beer as he gave a gap toothed grin at both Kallian and the Dwarf. 'Must be lonely for ye ladies to be out ere, away from yer kinfolk an in a land o big strong men' Oh by the Maker thought Kallian, this was one of the worst pick up attempts she had seen in her life. 'Me friends and I reckon that we can help make ya feel more comfortable' he then said 'show the two of ye some good ol human hospitality'

'Sorry but I am spoken for' replied the dwarf dismissively and the humans looked a bit disappointed before turning their attention to Kallian.

'Ow about you elf?' asked the human 'you one of em sylvan folk yeah? Cause I got some nice wood for yah'

Cringing at what she officially considered the worst pick up line ever, Kallian replied 'no thanks, if I wanted to get some "wood" I would rather find one that could actually satisfy me'.

The human suddenly had an insulted look on his face and he agitatedly asked 'you besmirchin me manhood knife-ears!?'

'Oh could you sod off and leave already!?' interjected the Dwarf with annoyance 'I am trying to drink in peace here.'

'Oi shut it halfie, this is between me an the knife-ears now!' shouted back the human who looked ready to lose his temper.

Kallian noticed the twitch above the dwarf woman's right eyebrow as she balled her gauntleted hands into fists. Rolling her eyes, Kallian knew where this was going, better teach these men a lesson in manners. Cracking her knuckles she glanced to Dwarf who gave her a nod and Kallian mirrored the gesture.

* * *

><p>A warm breeze flitted through the air and Khorieus felt refreshed as he deeply inhaled the scents of the forest around him. It was not the same as breathing the magically charged air of Ulthuan nor was it like the wilder ones which permeated <em>Elthin Arvan<em>. In the months that had passed since his coming to this world, the High Elf began to miss the subtle feel of the Winds of Magic.

His Senthanos were currently waiting at the camp with Illenya tending to the horses while Yransair performed his divinations. According to the Loremaster, the place which they sought would only be a week or so away. It was fortunate that at the least, he may not need the assistance of the Mages at Lake Calenhad for after that episode with Templars and their mage allies upon the plains, such a meeting would have most likely ended in only bloodshed.

Sunlight broke through the canopies of the forest, creating shafts of light between the patches of shadow. The song of birds and other natural creatures filled the forest and a slight rustle amongst the bushes nearby had swiftly caught the Chracian's attention. Fitting an arrow to the string of his bow but willing for it to not work its magic, Khorieus saw a healthy Hart emerge from the foliage.

It was a majestic creature with great curved antlers and a dark brown coat. Offering a quite word of praise to Kurnous for this gift and offering the kill to the Lord of the Wild Hunt, he took aim at the magnificent creature. The Hart raised his head up with ears listening intently as the Chracian held his breath, a tense moment of silence filled the forest and Khorieus released the arrow and at the same exact time, he heard a faint _clack_ in the distance.

The Hart staggered as the High Elf's arrow struck the deer in the side of the neck while a bolt struck the front. Quickly calculating for where the projectile had come, Khorieus swiftly began to move as swiftly and silently as he could while drawing upon the concealing magic of his cloak. Leaving not a single trace of his passing, the High Elf sought for whoever else was in the area for he could not risk the chance that it was something hostile.

A loud rustle from the brush sounded close by and moved to investigate what it was. If it were just a simple hunter who happened on the same game then he would have to split the meat of the Hart for bolt had struck at the same time as his arrow. Quickly, the High Elf became perplexed for he found no trace of the other hunter's passing.

Closing his eyes and completely focusing upon his sense of hearing and smell, the High Elf noted the familiar scent of oil, sweat, smoke, beer and soot which was followed by the faint jingling of mail armour. Khorieus instantly realized what was also residing in the area and he heard the faintest of footsteps followed by armour again. Swiftly turning around to look behind him, he was stunned to see an all too familiar figure.

Standing before him was a short woman wearing a stone grey cloak and a lightly gleaming coat of steel chain mail. An ornate repeater crossbow with several mechanical modifications was held in her hands while a series of intricate glowing runes were etched upon the fore grip. An Imperial _Katzbalger_ was sheathed upon one side of her waist while a metallic tool which also served well as a cudgel was resting upon the other.

Widened green eyes looked up to him as auburn hair spilled out from underneath the hood of the cloak and an expression of equal surprised was found upon her face. The woman was a Dwarf from his world, one of the _Dawi_ of the realm of _Karaz Ankor. _More importantly though, the Dwarf was someone Khorieus would gladly and perhaps a bit reluctantly call, a true friend.

'Isha's Tears...' whispered the High Elf with disbelief 'Vanyra Skorrisdottir?'

'Valaya's Silver Cups…' came the stunned voice of the Dwarf Engineer who simply spoke in Reikspiel 'Khorieus Alatanrieth? Is that you?'

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	16. Afterword

**Well there you have it, the main story line for Blood of the Phoenix is over and coming up will be the concurrent tale, An Oath of Stone and after that, the true beginning of this epic series. I will still be going through a lot of editing to fix up the grammar and spelling from chapter to chapter as well as making sure the continuity is consistent. Feel free to post what you think about the story so far as your feedback will be greatly appreciated.**

**Blood of the Phoenix will from here on, be irregularly updated with various side stories about the other Origins, events which occurred between or during chapters as well as bonus stories.**

_**Atrast nal tunsha Salrokas!**_

(Don't forget to check out the previous chapter, _Elui_ which serves as the Epilogue of this story)


	17. Wisdom's Mark

Solona Amel's eyes intently studied a mystic tome that rested upon a wooden desk and was written in an unknown, arcane language. The musty smell of countless other books containing such ancient knowledge filled her nostrils and the mage was surrounded by multiple wooden shelves carrying so many more. As she read, she wondered how she even came into this library until of course, she realized the truth.

She was in the Fade, the other worldly place where all mages drew their power from, where spirits and demons resided. The places where the souls of men and elves went when they dreamed and she remembered with clarity what had happened only a few moments before. Her party had stopped to rest with the _Asur_ taking the night watch again, how those strange, foreign elves from that other world managed to even do so for several nights in a row was a mystery to her.

The mage then began to take stock of her surroundings and she found that the library was unfamiliar to her. It was not the one within Kinloch Hold for its design was strangely foreign, but definitely human and she noticed shining figures silently studying as well. She then heard footsteps from behind her and she looked back over her shoulder to see a shining Spirit that had taken the form of a robed female mage.

'Greetings mortal' came the kindly and motherly voice of the Spirit who then asked 'a wondrous place is it not?'

Warily, Solona nodded and agreed for the last time she had encountered a Fade Spirit, she had bent it to her will and made it give her a staff. 'It is' the mage politely, yet cautiously said.

'I am glad you think so mortal, allow me to introduce myself' the spirit then said while giving the mage a courtly bow 'I am the Spirit of Wisdom and I have come here to escort you, at the request of the master of this place'

'Escort me?' asked Solona with curiosity.

'Indeed mortal, I promise that you will not come to any harm within this place of enlightenment' was the reply of the Spirit and there was something about the way it spoke that set the mage at ease.

'Lead on then' cautiously nodded the mage who stood up and allowed the Spirit to lead her.

The Spirit of Wisdom silently nodded and turned about with Solona following it, they traveled with silent steps across the halls of the great library. As they walked, the mage noticed a difference in the brilliance each of the shining figures had, some were tall and slender while garbed in clothing that reminded her of the High Elves which she traveled with while others resembled those of humans in a variety of foreign garbs. Some wore robes while others wore armor and those of the latter carried swords, whether in the single handed or two handed variety.

One particular spirit shone brighter than the others and yet when it moved, she could have sworn that there was a slight limp in its movements. The shining spirit regarded her for a moment; its eyes were twin burning orbs that radiated with such arcane power that Solona felt as if its mere gaze would burn her very soul. The spirit nodded silently towards her with a word that was barely out of her hearing, yet it sound rather assuring.

Unnerved by its presence, she then continued to follow the Spirit of Wisdom until finally, they came to a great dais where a massive scale stood and Solona noticed another shining spirit whose features were concealed by hooded robes and it stood by the scale. The Spirit of Wisdom bowed towards the hooded figure and politely bid them farewell before dissipating in a cloud of mist.

'I have been waiting for you… Solona Amell' whispered a masculine voice from the robed spirit whose shining figure became dimmer and more corporeal until it eventually it looked as much flesh and blood as Solona was. The Spirit had then taken the form of a sagely old woman wearing simple robes of white.

'A pleasure I am sure' cautiously nodded Solona who keenly remembered the last time she encountered a being within the fade, it was in actuality, a mighty demon that had taken the form of a man who pretended at times to be a mouse and was ultimately seeking to posses her.

'Is this form not to your liking?' whispered the Spirit 'I can easily choose something you may find far more pleasing.' Before Solona could reply, the Spirit then became shining white once more and after a moment, she saw that it had taken the form of a strikingly handsome dark skinned man wearing cotton robes, golden bracelets and sandals, his head was completely bald, save for a long lock of hair which dangled from the back of his head and a similarly odd, small rectangular braided beard that was woven with a gold wire. Compared to the previous form, this one was more ostentatious for the Spirit wore many pieces of golden jewelry that would probably be fit for a foreign king.

'Who or what are you then, spirit?' asked Solona who still kept her guard up.

The spirit then nodded and replied 'I am known by many names, Solona Amell, for I am the embodiment of knowledge and enlightenment, I am a judge, a teacher and arbiter of disputes.'

Intrigued and yet curious, Solona had never heard of a spirit that embodied several different concepts for most formed only a single idea. 'And to what may I call you then?' asked Solona.

'In the east, I am known by names too many to list' politely said the Spirit in a kindly manner that somewhat reminded Solona of First Enchanter Irving 'in the lands of sands and heat to the south, I was once named Tahoth where I had taught Men to be clever and build great artifices that blended science and magic.' The spirit then became shining white again and had once more taken the form of the simply dressed, sagely old woman who then spoke in a feminine voice again 'in the north, I am known as Verena where under my wings do Men cast off the shackles of ignorance, tyranny and superstition.'

Further puzzled by this, Solona had no idea what the Spirit meant for the south was not a place of sand, it was a cold and frozen place. She had never also heard of these pagan deities called Tahoth and Verena, and even if she did, the worshipers of such beings would have been targeted for conversion by the Chantry. Perhaps this Spirit was once worshiped as a deity long before the faiths of the Old Gods or the Chant of Light became the dominant religions of Thedas?

'I would like to know who you truly are, spirit' finally asked Solona.

'You wish to know then?' asked the sagely woman with a note of approval and Solona nodded. The spirit then shone once more and its form became taller and more slender until materializing as a silver haired High Elf wearing shining white robes and it spoke in a strong, masculine tone 'in the west, on the Isle of Ulthuan, I am known as Hoeth, Lord of Wisdom and under my guidance do the Children of Isha learn of enlightenment and truth.'

Solona's eyes widened at the mention of the name for Yransair had told her much about the religious beliefs of the _Asur_ and that this Hoeth was the god of whom the High Elf particularly considered as his patron. A part of her strongly doubted that this… being was one of the gods of the Asur and yet she could already feel its power which was even greater than the shining spirit from earlier.

The Library suddenly then changed as well, its grey stone walls transmuted into walls of purest white marble and the shelves looked as if they were made from the wood of exotic trees. The shining figures then began to take a more noticeable form and she saw that indeed many were High Elves while others were humans in foreign garbs she had never seen. She could have sworn that she also heard voices speaking in foreign languages such as the one spoken in Anderfels, Antiva, Orlais and other tongues she could not identify.

'If you truly are a god, then why would you request my presence then?' asked the mage who still remained undecided of what she was even talking to for the Fade held many beings quite capable of deception.

'Because you are one of my chosen, Daughter of the House of Amel' spoke Hoeth 'for both you and another of your line shall bear my Mark'

'What do you mean another of my line?' asked Solona with suprise who quickly came to the conclusion that Hoeth meant lineage.

'You are born for greatness, Solona Amel' Hoeth then said in a more sympathetic tone 'and yet by the cruelty of fate itself, that which awaited you was to be denied, yet now you have the greatest gift few ever receive, a second chance. For in you and those of your bloodline carry destiny that will help shape the world.'

Taken aback by the deity's words, Solona knew nothing about who her family was, all she knew was that she was born in the Free Marches but nothing else for she had been taken into the Circle as at a very young age. She had never really thought about what she would do if she somehow ever managed to be free of the Chantry for such a thing just seemed impossible without the assistance of the _Asur_. Could this being actually know if she had living relatives out there and where they were.

She wanted to ask this supposed god so many questions but before she could, Hoeth gently raised his right hand and he placed his palm upon her forehead, his form then changed once more to the incarnation known as Tahoth and she felt a strange feeling of calmness and clarity.

'I know you have many questions' said the deity who gave her a sorrowful look of regret 'but sadly now is not the time for answers for already the others have made their Marks.' A golden light began to fill the arms of Tahoth and Solona felt her mind become clouded with questions, theories, mathematical equations and ideas that were not her own. 'To you, Solona Amell, I give my gift of knowledge and artifice' continued the god 'when the time has come, to face the pawns of the Raven and its brethren, your knowledge and wisdom will be a beacon that stands against the darkness.'

'The Raven? What Raven are you talking about?' asked Solona as she could hardly now concentrate for the thoughts that filled her mind made it very difficult to even think.

The deity then gave her a warm smile and darkness began to fill the mage's vision and as her consciousness ebbed she heard the voice of the god whisper 'farewell, my chosen and know that I will be watching…'

* * *

><p>Gasping with eyes suddenly opening widely, Solona sat up from her bedroll while lightly throwing of a blanket of fine furs given to them by Theron's clan. She saw the starry night sky above while the ruddy glow of the camp fire bathed her party in its warmth and could see the sleeping forms of her companions. They had been camping on the plains of the Bannorn and were still on the way to the north.<p>

'Are you all right child?' asked Yransair Stormwing with a hint of concern in his voice as he wore his freshly cleaned armor and his great sword, Tempestfang rested upon his armored lap.

'I am fine, it was just a dream...' replied Solona who saw that the moon was still visible seen above.

'There is power in dreams child' Yransair then said 'is there anything you remember?'

'I…' whispered Solona as she tried to remember the dream but found it to be both fleeting and escaping 'I don't know, I cannot remember what it was...'

'Do not worry child, I am sure it will come back to you in time' said the _Asur_ with a soft smile 'now rest for dawn is still many hours away.' Nodding to Yransair, Solona looked around for a moment, noticing that Theron, Khorieus, Illenya and the horses were resting but she noted that Kallian was missing. 'In case you are wondering child, Kallian went off to answer nature's call' Yransair then said.

As if on cue, Solona heard a slight rustle from the tall grass and she saw Kallian step out with a relieved look on her face. The elf girl nodded to Solona with a friendly smile for they had been fast becoming friends in these last weeks since the fight with the Tempars. Nodding as well to Kallian, Solona softly smiled as the City Elf went back to her own bedroll.

As Kallian slowly and quietly moved though, Solona could not help but notice a thick coppery scent from the elf girl that seemed to be mixed with ashes. Illuminated by the campfires, Solona saw blood dripping from Kallian's left hand which was practically covered in it. The mage then blinked at the sight of it and suddenly, it was gone, leaving only a curious Kallian staring at the mage and asking 'Something wrong Sol?'

'Nothing… its… nothing' quietly replied an unsettled Solona as she went down under the warm cover of her blanket. The night would easily then pass for mage but as she slept, she caught glimpses of three distant figures who protectively watched over her.


End file.
